Second Chance at Destiny
by Betabear4
Summary: Consumed by anger and guilt following Padmé's death, Darth Vader committed himself to the dark side and vowed to destroy the Rebel Alliance. But when he is forced to protect the new Senator from Naboo, their destinies collide and secrets are revealed as he is forced to question everything about the new man he has become.
1. Chapter 1 - Empire Day

Darth Vader stood still and tall looking out at the acid rain-soaked planet of Vjun. Since being gifted Bast Castle by the Emperor, he had retreated there often as a sanctuary away from the chaotic scenes on Coruscant. As the home and political hub of the empire, the Emperor chose to stay on Coruscant, but for Vader it was too much. He told himself that he couldn't surround himself with all the politicians and the traitors that Coruscant was home to, but truthfully Coruscant held a painful past for Vader. It reminded him of his life as Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. It reminded him of the Temple where he grew up and where he slaughtered all the younglings. It reminded him of his first assignment to protect the then Senator of Naboo. It reminded him of his time spent fighting his feelings for the Senator, whilst she lived in 500 Republica. It reminded him of the last time he saw her on the balcony of their apartment, pregnant with their child. It reminded him of his now-deceased wife, Padmé Amidala Skywalker.

Padmé Amidala Skywalker stood looking out at the glistening lake as the sun rose at the Varykino retreat on Naboo. Since the birth of the Empire and her staged death she had retreated to the secluded location on her home planet. She could not stay on Coruscant anymore. What had been her home as a politician now stood as a symbol of everything she had stood to prevent. Liberty had died with thunderous applause and the creation of the empire had seen the death of democracy, the republic and her. Coruscant now served as a reminder of those tragedies. It reminded her of her time as Queen of Naboo, and how she had sought the Republic and the Jedi's help against an invasion from the Trade Federation. It reminded her of the Battle of Naboo which was saved by a Young Boy of only 9. It reminded her of her time as Senator where she was put under the protection of the Jedi. It reminded of her reunion with a little boy she had known on Tatooine. It reminded her of their love affair that had followed, how their love was forbidden by the Jedi. They were a Jedi Knight and a Senator, and it wasn't to be. It reminded her of the last time she saw him on the balcony of her 500 Republica apartment, pregnant with their child. It reminded her of her now-deceased husband, Anakin Skywalker.

Since becoming Darth Vader 8 years ago, he had made it his mission to grow the Empire and destroy the Rebel Alliance. Before the birth of the Empire Darth Vader had been close to Palpatine. He saw him as a father figure; as someone who saw great potential in him. Whilst Anakin Skywalker was held back by the Jedi because they feared him, Vader was given authority and power. As the second most powerful man in the Galaxy, Vader was the commander of the 501st battalion. As Darth Vader, he had the power over all general and grand moffs alike, he could kill people for their incompetence and was feared by all who knew him. 8 years ago, Darth Vader's life changed forever. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight and became Darth Vader, a Sith. 8 years ago, Vader watched as the world he had known crumbled beneath him. 8 years ago, Vader watched the Jedi try to overthrow the Republic. 8 years ago, Anakin found himself called to stop Master Windu from destroying the then Chancellor Palpatine, requesting he must stand trial. 8 years ago, Vader pleaded with the Chancellor to help him save his wives life, for he could not live without her. 8 years ago, Darth Vader stormed the Jedi temple and killed all those within, and not even the younglings survived. 8 years ago, Vader turned to the Dark Side and killed his wife on Mustafar. 8 years ago, Padmé died and Darth Vader was born.

Since faking her death 8 years ago, Padmé had passionately continued her mission of one day restoring the Republic. She had been part of a small committee before the Empire's inception. When she went into hiding, she was called upon by her good friend Bail Organa to join the Rebel Alliance. As Padmé Amidala it was too dangerous, she had faked her death for her safety against the Emperor and it was imperative her survival remained a secret. But she was Padmé Amidala. She had been a Queen at 14, and a Senator after. She had spent more than half of her life in service of the people and the greater good and she could not stop that now. She needed a new identity. As this new woman, Padmé could fight against the Empire, make new contacts and be part of the Empire's destruction. The Black Widow was born. Padmé had to become someone that the Empire could never trace back to her. It now wasn't just about her safety. 8 years ago, Padmé's life changed forever. 8 years ago, she watched the Galaxy around her collapse. 8 years ago, Padmé watched the Galaxy she had been a part of be destroyed through the betrayal of people she trusted and the murder of millions of people. 8 years ago, Padmé watched her friends, The Jedi be destroyed. 8 years ago, Padmé watched her husband Anakin Skywalker turn to the Dark Side and try and kill her. 8 years ago, she gave birth to twins Luke and Leia. 8 years ago, for their protection, Padmé Amidala died, and The Black Widow was born.

The creation of the Empire was always an occasion for celebration. It has been 8 years since the destruction of the Republic and the Empire's birth, creating a new system across the galaxy, and introducing the Emperor Palpatine, and his right-hand man Darth Vader. There was a grand party to be held on Coruscant to celebrate the birth of the Empire, and thousands of delegates, officers, politicians and dignitaries from across the galaxy would gather. For many, this was an opportunity to present themselves as advocates of the empires corrupt system, and network with powerful individuals who had influence and wealth. For others, it was necessary to show their faces to avoid any accusations of treachery. For several years, there had been threats of rebellion against the new system. Many individuals had gone off on their own to showcase their stand against the Empire, but their attempts were feeble, and usually met their end at the hands of Darth Vader's force choke. For Palpatine, it was a chance to fish out traitors and bring an end to the threat of a growing Rebel Alliance. Their presence was increasing, but it was still unknown who was involved and who was responsible for its actions against the Empire. Some were accused of involvement, but Palpatine had to tread carefully. He could not make arrests without proof, and even with his and Darth Vader's mind-reading abilities they were struggling to penetrate the heart of the Rebel Alliance. But there was one name that kept appearing. One name that had become an increasing thorn in Vader's side. It became Vader's mission to destroy them. It was Vader's mission to destroy The Black Widow.

Padmé sat in her room, putting in earrings preparing to fly to Coruscant. She reminisced how dressing up in an elaborate gown, headpiece and makeup was a daily occurrence, but now was a rarity. When she had finished getting ready, she exhaled deeply and looked at herself in the mirror. So much had changed over the last 8 years, and even though there was always sadness in her eyes, Padmé believed she had changed very little. Her hair was shorter now. Since caring for the twins, she found having shorter hair made it so much more manageable and saved the pain of when the twins would tug on it when they were younger. She smiled at the thought of the twins. She stood up from her chair and brushed down her dress, before picking the elaborate mask up off her bed. Tonight, she would attend the Empire Day Ball. She would attend as a politician from her home planet of Naboo. Padmé would attend the masquerade ball, hiding on two fronts, under a large decorative mask, and as Sabé Soruna, Naboo's new Senator. Padmé walked out of her room and into the kitchen, and there sat at the table was Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the twins.

"Now I hope you two aren't talking too much at Obi-Wan". She stated as Obi-Wan sat listening to the twins who were competing for airtime.

"No". The twins replied in unison.

Obi-Wan stood up as Padmé walked up to the trio, a sign of his noble days as a Jedi Knight.

"Mummy you look so pretty". Leia said looking at her mum with a smile.

"Yeah, mum you look amazing. That dress is so sparkly. You twinkle like a red star". Luke added.

"Thank you, you two. Yes, it is a very pretty dress, the seamstresses on Naboo are so talented. I remember I used to have to wear a lot of things like this when I was Queen and Senator, but it has certainly been a long time since I have dressed up like this". Padmé replied.

Obi-Wan stood as the mother and children conversed before saying "Now, Padmé are you sure you want to go to this party. There are going to be thousands of people there, many of which I'm sure will be spying for the empire. And I cannot protect you there, you must shield your own mind as I have taught you, and you must be careful who you speak to. And never take off your mask, your face would be recognised instantly".

Padmé placed a hand gently on Obi-Wan's shoulder and smiled and replied "I know Obi-Wan thank you. My attendance at this event is very important. Bail and Mon Mothma are both attending, so I will not be alone. But as the Black Widow, I must seek to try and integrate myself into the empire system with an alias, and this is the perfect opportunity. I will remain with them, and I have been practising my shielding for a long time I am certain I can maintain it".

Obi-Wan forced a smile and said, "I know Padmé I am just concerned because you know this is an event that the Emperor hosts himself and it is more than likely that Darth Vader will be there, and you know how dangerous Darth Vader can be".

Padmé stiffened at the mention of Darth Vader. He had appeared after the creation of the Empire and was responsible for the destruction of the Republic, the Jedi, and the death of Anakin. Padmé knew what had happened on Mustafar. After Anakin had strangled her, he and Obi-Wan had engaged in an enduring fight, which ended with Obi-Wan jumping onto an embankment above the lava. Anakin had tried to jump above Obi-Wan to gain an advantage on higher ground, but Obi-Wan sliced his legs and arm as he jumped. Obi-Wan could not stay and watch him die, so left. Following this Anakin was killed by Darth Vader as he was too weak to defend himself. Padmé knew that Obi-Wan still hated himself for leaving Anakin on Mustafar but knew that there was nothing he could to save him. It was a very hard topic for them to talk about and was something that had rarely been discussed in the 8 years since their retreat to Naboo.

Obi-Wan knew how dangerous Darth Vader was. Padmé believed that Darth Vader was responsible for the death of Anakin Skywalker, and from a certain point of view, that was correct. Obi-Wan had been unable to bring himself to tell Padmé that Anakin Skywalker had become Darth Vader. That on that day on Mustafar, her husband had been so consumed by hate that every part of Anakin Skywalker ceased to exist, and Darth Vader had been born of the hatred he had for the Republic and the Jedi. Padmé had never encountered Vader before and had only ever seen pictures of him on the Holonet and from reports of him foiling Rebel Alliance plots and killing rebel spies. It was essential that Padmé shielded her presence entirely. Anakin Skywalker had had such an intense bond with Padmé, and Obi-Wan was certain that even as Vader, he would recognise Padmé's force signature instantly. If Vader was to realise Padmé had survived Mustafar, he would likely seek to claim Padmé and the twins and would try and turn Luke and Leia to the dark side, and Obi-Wan would die before he let that happen.

"Right children I am going to go to this party, and I will be back tomorrow, so you need to be good for Obi-Wan okay". Padmé said as she opened her arms up for Luke and Leia to hug her. The twins embraced her warmly and she kissed each of their heads before Obi-Wan walked with her to let her out. Padmé would use registered Nubian transport to fly to Coruscant. The moment she stepped out the door, she was no longer Padmé Amidala or the Black Widow, she was Sabé Soruna, Naboo Senator. Padmé bid Obi-Wan goodbye and headed for her ship. As Padmé got onto her ship and set her coordinates for Coruscant she took a deep breath. It had been 8 years since Padmé had been to Coruscant, and the planet held a lot of memories, good and bad. Since joining the rebellion, Padmé had spent most of her time on planets outside of the core, to avoid the Empire's detection, and also used encrypted communication networks from home, so she could spend as much time with the twins as possible.

Padmé sat in her ships cabin chair and tried to forget about who she was as Padmé Amidala. She now needed to close her mind to all of her secrets and become Sabé Soruna. She focused on the shielding Obi-Wan had taught her and attempted to meditate as her ship flew towards Coruscant.

Darth Vader despised social gatherings. He despised socialising, he despised people and he despised the diplomacy of it all. He knew the whole event was a charade by the emperor to detect traitors. Vader was never usually invited to these events, but his master had summoned him with a special request. Vader was to attend the ball, under the cover of an army officer. To everyone in the Empire, Vader was an encapsulation of fear. He was an unknown face behind a mask and vocaliser. There were rumours about his identity that circulated. Many believed he was not a human but in fact a robot created by the Emperor to do his bidding. Some believed he was an alien from an outer rim planet who was pure evil. Vader thrived off the uncertainty of people, he relished in the fact that no one knew who he was. He was unknown and he was feared. The signature breathing from his mask created fear and tension wherever he went. It was fear that kept him alive. But tonight, Vader would attend the ball as a nobody, as a simple human officer in a mask.

Vader stood staring out of from his cabin port window. As commander of the Executor, he was responsible for its men and their role of bringing peace and security to the Empire. Vader loathed spending too much time on the Executor. Being confined to restricted spaces was not new for him, but given he spent most of his life subjected to the confines of his Darth Vader mask and armour, he reminisced in the opportunities to be free of his dark confines. He had received orders from the Emperor and was to meet him at the Empire Day Ball tonight. But he would not go as the masked menace Dark Vader, he would go as a simple Empire officer. Vader loathed how the Emperor felt the need to make him play parties, to mingle amongst all the common people, all of whom were power-hungry, selfish dignitaries who cared very little for the people they served. His thoughts took him down a path he daren't tread. How he had once known a politician who served for the good of the people, how she would serve and die alongside her people, and fought for the freedom of her people and the whole Republic. If Padmé could see what the Empire had become, Vader knew she he would hate it. The death of liberty and democracy was everything Padmé fought against, it was the reason the trade federation wanted her dead, it was the reason Anakin Skywalker was sent to protect her.

Vader shook his head violently, pressing his palms to his temples trying to shake away the visions of his deceased wife. There was never a day when he didn't think about her when he didn't think about what happened on the landing platform on Mustafar and didn't regret what he had done. He had raised a hand to her, to his angel, to the woman he swore to protect, to the woman he gave everything up for to save. What a twist of fate that his determination to save her was the cause of her death.

Vader walked slowly over to the fresher and splashed his face with cold water. He needed to focus if he was to accomplish the task the Emperor had set him. Vader was to mingle as an Imperial officer and read the minds of those that they suspected were plotting against the Empire. Members of the rebel alliance would be well concealed, and they may even have spies amongst the ranks of the Imperial forces. It was Vader's job to find such traitors, to penetrate the walls of their mind and establish their intentions. Failure was not an option, the Empire was being threatened, and Palpatine would not let that happen.

As he dried his face, he took a moment to look at his reflection in the mirror. Physically very little had changed in the last 8 years. Following the attack on Mustafar, Vader had managed to shield himself from most of the lava and suffered several more minor burns. When Palpatine discovered him on the banks he was taken to a medical clinic and underwent life-saving surgery. Vader was fitted with new prosthetics, covered in artificial skin to replicate his own and his breathing was repaired, and he was only required to use a respirator at night to ensure the maintenance of healthy lung tissue development. To do this Vader built a hyperbaric chamber to allow him to rest in an optimal oxygen concentrated environment and be isolated from others around him. He glanced at his cybernetic right arm, which served as a constant reminder of the Clone Wars and his weakness as Anakin Skywalker. He had not been strong enough to destroy Count Dooku and had lost his arm in a battle against him. It wasn't just his arm he lost that day from that day a part of Anakin Skywalker had been lost too. He had aged very little, his face remaining a telling sign of his youth when he fell to the dark side. Darth Vader was still young, only 30 years old, but in those 30 years he had experienced more than many would in their lives, and the trauma was forever lasting.

His Sith yellow eyes had calmed down to a normal colour for the ball. The scar on his right eye had faded with time and was now only slightly visible to the keen eye. Vader brushed his human hand through his shorter sandy blonde hair and let out a heavy sigh. If people knew this was the face of Darth Vader, they would never fear him. If people saw Vader as a handsome and youthful figure, he would never be respected. Vader's suit and mask offered him the anonymity he needed. He was an ageless mechanical monster and it was the way Vader liked it. As he turned to leave the fresher, he caught the sight of his back scars. The bacta tanks had fully healed his injuries from Mustafar. These scars were to serve as a reminder, to remind him failure was not an option, to remind him of the consequences of failure. Sith lightning was a brutal punishment, and fatal to most, but for a force sensitive, it was a form of torture that weakened the victim. There were times when Vader had failed his master and he had to be punished. He knew failure was unacceptable and his scars were a reminder of that fact. Tonight, Vader would not fail. He would bring an end to the scum of the Rebel Alliance and he would crush them at the core, he would once and for all discover the identity of The Black Widow, and he would destroy her.

Padmé's ship landed at the Imperial Palace landing bay. She took a deep breath and put on her mask, tying it in a tight bow at the back. She was now Sabé Soruna and her shields were up. She stepped off her ship and was greeted by an Imperial Guard who escorted her to the entrance hall to the ball. She thanked him for the escort and then headed into the large room to find Bail and Mon Mothma. She tried to settle her nerves as she clutched hold of her purse tightly. This was the first time Padmé had been on Coruscant in 8 years, and this was the first time she would be surrounding herself with Imperial delegates and sympathisers. She was taking a huge risk, but she knew it was important to integrate herself into the new Imperial system. She had spent enough time hiding behind a screen as Black Widow and was ready to gather more intelligence through imperial networks. Bail and Mothma had been serving since the inception of the Empire, and it was time she joined her comrades. The hall was not bustling yet and Padmé managed to negotiate her way through people before finding Mon Mothma and Bail sitting down a table near the back of the room.

The Executor had exited hyperspace and was now cruising outside of the Coruscant atmosphere. A cruiser had been sent up to take Vader and several of the grand moffs and high-ranking officers down to the ball. As Vader sat on his bed zipping up his leather boots his comm rang. He reached for it with the force and answered it.

"Lord Vader this is Captain Piett, the cruiser will be docking in 5 minutes to take us down to the planet". The Admiral stated before waiting for his commander's response.

"Very good I shall meet you in the landing bay". Vader replied.

Vader usually spoke with a vocaliser on as part of his suit, and it was a very rare occasion where his officers would hear his voice normally. Vader had to change the way he spoke, as the voice of Anakin Skywalker would potentially be recognised. It was not a difficult transition, but it was a subtle detail that would make this mission more of a success. Vader called his lightsaber to his hand and placed it on his belt at the back under his uniform jacket. He straightened out his uniform and exited his chamber heading for the loading bay. When he arrived, he was greeted by Admiral Motti, Captain Piett and Captain Needa, before they got on the cruiser and headed down to the planet's core.

Padmé greeted Bail and Mothma with hugs as they sat down at their table together. "Sabé I am so glad you made it here today". Bail stated ensuring he adopted her alias correctly.

"As am I. I hope you two both had comfortable journey's here". Padmé replied not dispensing with the pleasantries. It was essential that Padmé, Bail and Mothma acted as acquaintances. Many politicians did not see one another often, and over-familiarity could risk giving away their relationship outside of politics.

"What time is the Emperor going to grace us with his presence?". Padmé asked in her most astute voice possible, but she knew Mothma and Bail would detect her undertone of discontent for Palpatine. It was hard for Padmé to see the Emperor. He had been her confidant during her tenure as Queen and she trusted him. This trust continued when her representative gave emergency powers to the Chancellor. He had taken that trust and twisted and abused it to destroy the Republic and create his own Empire. He had groomed Anakin to trust him and do his bidding. He had twisted his mind and made him do terrible things. To her, Palpatine represented everything she hated, and to her his demise could not come soon enough.

"I believe he is due to arrive in about 20 minutes. He usually waits for most attendees to arrive before he makes a brief speech. He doesn't mingle usually. He remains with his representative upstairs above us all, just watching". Mon Mothma stated. She had attended this event every year and it had always been the same. It was a chance for the Emperor to test everyone, and to showcase his power.

The cruiser from the Executor landed on the busy platform at the Imperial Palace. Vader disembarked with the group of officers and grand moffs. As the palace ballroom doors opened Vader was overwhelmed by the number of people. As the grand moffs began talking amongst themselves, Vader separated himself from them and made his way towards the centre of the hall. His eyes scanned across the vast space as he tried to comprehend how he could possibly make it round all of these people. Surely his master would understand it is not possible, but then that would be a failure, and failure was not an option. The atmosphere of the ball started to pick up as the band began to play their pieces and people started to mix and mingle. Vader prowled around, and he could not help but notice the extreme outfits some guests had selected. Many men had elected for overly tight suits of obscene colours and garish masks in an attempt to draw attention. Meanwhile, many women had elected to wear extremely short tight-fitting outfits, that flattered all the wrong places. Their masks were also extremely boisterous. Vader was repulsed by so many of the people he walked past. Not simply because of their blatant disregard for their appearance, but for their thoughts. Some were more than too easy to read and had very simple things on their mind, which were completely insignificant to Vader. Some were impatiently wondering when the Emperor would arrive so they could show their face in support of the Emperor. Some were so desperate for the event to end so they could engage in sexual activities with one another, and some had indulged in too much of the free alcohol they were unable to develop any coherent thoughts. Vader smirked at their stupidity. It was ridiculous for the Emperor to think that any of these simple-minded individuals could develop a plot to thwart the Empire. Most of them were concerned with insignificant matters of alcohol, money and sex.

Vader had never been one to drink alcohol. As a Jedi, he lived a humble and luxuries like that were not afforded for Jedi and were usually reserved for wealthy dignitaries and politicians. There was only one time in his life when he had engaged in the consumption of alcohol, and that was his wedding night. He had taken some to calm the nerves. Anakin Skywalker had fought in battles and faced death numerous times, but never had he been as nervous as he was on his wedding night. Money was not something he had possessed as Anakin Skywalker. As a slave on Tatooine, he had no money and was forced to serve Watto in order to afford food and shelter for him and his mother. As a Jedi he gave up any possession he had and lived a simple life in service to the Jedi. It was only as his time as Vader when he had been gifted assets such as the Executor and Bast Castle but his master. He was overwhelmed by the consolidation of wealth that occurred in the Empire. He never again would yearn for something so simple as food or shelter. But there were many things money could not buy him, many things money could not undo. As a Jedi, he was sworn to be celibate. Jedi swore their lives in service to the code and attachments were forbidden. But for Anakin and Padmé their forbidden connection was undeniable. How he treasured his wedding night, never would he forget the scent of her sweet hair draping over her shoulders and her silky soft skin. They had given themselves to one another and had promised to do so forever. Vader's ruminations were interrupted as the room was called to silence and the grand doors opened from above.

A group of red guards walked in first, followed by several of Palpatine's dignitaries. The Emperor followed behind them slowly. He walked to the centre of the balcony as he addressed the room full of people.

"Good evening all. I am so glad you are all able to be here at the Imperial Palace, at the heart of our galaxy's capital, to celebrate the birth of our great Empire. We are here to remind one another that we are united, we will hold strong against protesters as we stand to protect those who we serve across the galaxy". Palpatine stated, forever showcasing his pretence for unity and his prowess as a politician. Vader stood amongst the crowds reading people's minds following the Emperor's speech. "Now please, enjoy your evening, mingle and meet new people, and celebrate the work we have achieved together". He continued. Upon finishing his speech there was a loud round of applause from the crowd below. Palpatine acknowledged the crowd, waving to either side and then headed to his seat beside his aids on the floor above the ballroom.

Padmé had been seated with Bail and Mon Mothma as Palpatine made his speech. She always knew he had been a good politician. The power and fear he carried in his words were certain, and she knew it was all an act to lure people into a false sense of security. She knew the real reason they were all there. Palpatine cared about no one but himself and the Empire and he would bring an end to anyone who got in his way to unlimited power.

"Did either of you see Vader?" Bail asked, snapping Padmé out of her thoughts.

"No, I didn't. I am surprised. He is always here usually. Palpatine likes to bring him to instil fear in everyone. He must be on a mission off-world, have more pressing issues to attend to" Mothma concluded.


	2. Chapter 2 - Encounter

Vader continued to mingle amongst various delegates and engage in false pretences with women and men who were only seeking to speak to him to see if he could offer them any valuable information or resources. Vader was engaging in a conversation with Grand-Moff Tarkin and his minions when he felt his master summoning him. He swiftly but subtly made his way up the stairs to the Emperor and bowed before him. The Emperor requested he come close and asked, "So my friend what have you discovered?".

"Nothing yet master. Most guests appear to be focused more on networking with powerful individuals who can promote them. Some are looking to find partners to sleep with, and others are simply here upon invitation. Their walls are very weak and easy to penetrate, I would know if they were hiding something". Vader reported.

Palatine paused and then said "So what I am hearing is that you have found nothing. I find it impossible to believe that there is no one here who possesses some information or had contacts with the Rebel Alliance. Your task is to find out any information you can about them and identifying any traitors".

Vader turned to his master and replied "Master, I have already managed to penetrate the minds of many of the guests here and there is nothing to be found. Most people are not here discussing work or politics, but more pleasantries and family and …"

Vader was interrupted by Palpatine who said "I care not what the scum are talking about Vader. You need to get down there and embed yourself in some useful conversations. Perhaps there are some pretty women down there who you can woo into submission and who will tell you all they know. I would not be surprised if you still possess your manly charms from your time seducing that whore Senator Amidala".

Vader stiffened at his comment and found anger growing inside him against his master. Palpatine regularly used Padmé against him, as he knew how much her death pained him. Any reference his master made about Padmé was almost always in hatred and the anger just made Vader turn more towards the dark side. Vader simply bowed his head and replied, "Yes master".

Palpatine cast his hand forward in dismissal and said, "Now go". Vader got up from his knees and descended the stairs to reintegrate himself into the party which was now in full swing.

Padmé had now separated from her colleagues to mingle with other delegates. She was attending in a formal capacity and it was important that people saw her as the new Senator from Naboo. Her mask kept her face a secret, but it enabled her to talk to many other politicians and Imperial officers. Padmé was not naive to the chemistry of the male brain, and she knew the way many of the men who were here tonight were thinking and what they were after. Padmé had never been that type of woman, she had always had to act with high levels of elegance, professionalism and respect. She could not comprehend why some men and women could simply attend these events and leave with a stranger and have sex with them to never see or hear from them again. Padmé had not been romantically involved with anyone since Anakin died, and she didn't think she ever would be again. She did not need the distraction, and she had her friends and most importantly the twins. At that moment she realised her mind was drifting thinking of the twins and immediately shut off those thoughts and tightened her mental barriers.

Padmé had been so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't realise that the ballroom has been cleared and people had formed pairs in preparation for the main dance. She searched around the large crowds for anyone who was still seeking a partner. Vader too had found himself without a partner. He caught the disdained look of the Emperor and did not want to draw unnecessary attention to himself and so he walked quickly over to a woman in a long red dress and asked her to join him. Padmé curtsied and took his gloved hand in hers as the music started and the dance began. The man wore an imperial officer uniform, but Padmé could not distinguish the rank he was. The tension was high between the pair, so Padmé decided to forever be the politician and introduce herself.

"I appreciate your invitation to dance. I fear I got side-tracked and was unable to identify another dance partner. I am Sabé Soruna, the acting Senator for Naboo". Padmé states, her mask still hiding her face completely, as she divided her attention between her words and her dancing steps.

Vader could not help but have an immediate distaste for the Senator. It had been 8 long years since Naboo had had a Senator. None had been found to occupy the void left by Padmé Amidala, so the Queen had elected not to fill it out of courtesy, until now. He knew he needed to reply in order to maintain his cover and considered that she would be a valuable source of information. "It is a pleasure Senator. I am officer Starkiller". Vader replied as he too focused on his dance steps. He looked into her eyes through the holes in her mask and he noticed they were a piercing shade of green. He began sifting through the Senators mind for information but was shocked that her mental walls appeared to be very strong, with Vader being able to acquire almost no information from her mind at all. It was almost impossible she was force-sensitive and this created curiosity in Vader as to how her mental walls were so strong. Before anything else had been said the dance was over and Vader bowed in respect to the Senator before they departed the dancefloor.

Padmé walked back over to join Bail and Mothma but couldn't help but be slightly perplexed by the officer she had just danced with. Despite him only saying a few words, there was something about his voice that was almost familiar to Padmé. She dismissed the thoughts as silly before she got back to her table and sat down.

Vader walked back over to a group of officers but couldn't help but be slightly perplexed by the Senator's he had just danced with. There had been very few individuals in this room whose mental walls he failed to break through, and yet he had been unable to read any part of her mind as though it was well shielded. He could not escape the thought that there was something very familiar about the Senator from Naboo. He dismissed the thoughts as silly before he began talking to the officers again.

Padmé sat watching many people around her who were still dancing, and groups of young men and women of all species laughing and flirting with one another. Whilst she had always attended events like this in a professional capacity she did enjoy dressing up. Tonight had been the first time in many years where she had done her hair and makeup and worn an elaborate dress. The seamstresses on Naboo were so talented and produced her dress with such finesse and care. The dress was comfy but fitted. It was a floor-length red sequin dress. It was a high-necked dress that beaded at the neckline and was tied at the top of her neck and was backless, showing off her soft skin. Padmé had always managed to find a perfect balance between being conservative but showing enough to be elegant and this was the prime example. The dress flowed down to the floor, with a tiny train that followed behind her. She had really enjoyed feeling beautiful again, as it had been an age since someone, or something had made her feel like she could be beautiful. Padmé had spent many years conserved within a shell of despair and sadness, but tonight she felt liberated as Sabé and could relieve herself of the emotional tyranny she still felt.

Vader stood watching those around him. By this point, many were heavily intoxicated and were struggling to string a sentence together or stand up straight. This made their minds more than easy to read, and yet he still had found no significant knowledge about the Rebel Alliance. People's thought flew through his mind, still many concerning insignificant matters. Vader was unable to love and had been blind to any women other than Padmé. But she was dead and gone forever and he was the only one to blame. Vader shook his head under his mask as he tried to rid himself of thoughts of his angel. He had been plagued more than normal by thoughts of her recently, and the torture was getting harder for Vader to bare. He decided to go outside on the balcony and get some fresh air and be free of the watchful eye of his master and of the stupidity of the officials who were conversing over one drink too many.

Padmé stood out on the wide-open balcony looking over the Coruscanti sky. It was as busy as she remembered as she admired the channels of traffic that flew through the sky in perfect synchronisation. It had been 8 years since she had lived here, lived in 500 Republica. But she had to forget about that, she had to forget that part of her life with Anakin, for he was no more and had been consumed by evil and killed by the monster Darth Vader. Two tears escaped her eyes as she dabbed them away. She had vowed to not cry over the fall of the Republic, over the death of democracy and the annihilation of the Jedi. She still had the twins, she had Obi-Wan and she would continue to help the Alliance to restore freedom to the Galaxy. Just as Anakin had wanted to do, she suddenly thought. She shook her head in protest at the thought. She had mourned Anakin's death for years and knew that a part of her heart would always be broken because of Anakin, because of at he had done and planned to do. A small part of her had died that day, died with Anakin. On this day 8 years ago Padmé and Anakin had died, and Darth Vader and Black Widow had been born.

The frosty wind blew slightly, and it sent a small shiver down Padmé's spine. At that moment Padmé heard the faint sound of boots on the marble floor and stiffens a little. "_Can't I have some peace?_" she thought to herself as a figure came to stand about a metre from the balcony. Vader didn't plan on telling the Senator how long he had been standing there, but it has been long enough to see her cry and stare out into the planets busying traffic. Her hair was pinned up in an elaborate style by her side leaving her back exposed down to where her dress started. He could not shake off the feeling that the skin was familiar. How ridiculous he thought that you would think this Senators back was similar to Padmé's. "_Get out of my head_" he thought angrily as he rested his arms on the balcony.

Feeling as though you could cut the tension with a knife Padmé broke the silence and said, "It's very clear out here tonight, I'm sure if you tried hard enough you could see Corellia".

Vader tilted his head to briefly glance at the Senator and replied, "Perhaps".

Padmé was a little taken aback by his deep voice, as she had only heard a few words from him earlier. Vader had learnt to disguise his human voice when not adopting the mask. Although the voice changing was not required often, it usually frustrated him to have to do it and so avoided talking when possible. But curiosity got the best of him and the frustration of being unable to get enough information from her mind. He paused and said, "So on what premise do you come to the Empire Day Ball Senator?". He beat himself internally as soon as he said it. What a stupid way to phrase it he thought.

She looked a little surprised at his question before saying "I came as a representative of the planet Naboo and as her ex-chief handmaiden, for her majesty Breha Organa to show her respect to the Emperor from the Royal House of Alderaan as she was unable to attend due to previous engagements".

Vader was slightly taken aback by her eloquently phrased response and had to take a minute to think. So, she was an ex-handmaiden to the Queen of Alderaan now turned Senator. She likely had inside knowledge of their activities. Vader and the Emperor had long suspected Bail Organa of being a leader of the so-called Rebel Alliance, but as of yet had no proof. It was clear that the Queen was not involved in this action, as she had a planet to run and with the Emperor making Vader breathe down her neck, she would not dare defy the Empire. But maybe the Senator knew something, she must be highly respected by her majesty if she was sent here alone, Vader thought. She must have been trained well as she was able to shield her thoughts and keep her mind closed from invasion. This annoyed Vader as she was the first barrier he had come across that night. Even the trained and practised Senators like Organa and Mothma often revealed small insignificant pieces of information, but from her Vader got nothing, and it frustrated him immensely. _'Perhaps she is force sensitive', _he thought to himself. The thought quickly disintegrated as thoughts of her being a senator and in close connection to a Jedi would mean he hated her for more reasons than one.

Padmé continued to look out at the view in front of her, well aware that the man next to her had been silent for a significant amount of time. Padmé broke Vader's developing thoughts by saying "Might I pose the same question to you. Judging by your uniform you are an imperial pilot".

Vader was quite impressed by her observations. Very few were able to differentiate between the categories of service within the empire. Not wanting to give anything away Vader replied, "I work for the Empire, and I am here to pay my respects to the event and its creator".

I small shiver escaped Padmé at the mention of Palpatine. This did not go unnoticed by Vader who decided to push the Senator. "Do you not believe respect should be paid to the Emperor?". He asked a twinge of annoyance in his voice.

Padmé hesitated at the question, she wasn't surprised by it but as always had to be careful, after all, she did not know who she was speaking to, he could have been more than a simple imperial pilot. Deciding to as always be very political with her response she says "The Empire was not created by one person. There were many responsible for the dissolution of the Republic and birth of the Empire". She couldn't bring herself to speak his name, she would not talk about Darth Vader, then monster who in her belief had destroyed the man she loved more than life itself.

Vader assessed her statement and then said "Indeed there were others, but only one ruler. Of course, he must have subordinates like..."

"Like Darth Vader, the murderous machine, yes I know about him, everyone does" Padmé interjected, unable to hold back her disdain for him in her tone. Her interruption caught Vader off guard as well as her clear discontent for him showed. But that was what he liked, he fed off hate. But what was clear to Vader was something that frustrated him, she did not fear him like everyone else, she hated him. He was about to respond when he felt a tremor in the force, his master wanted to see him, immediately.

As he walked through the bustling crowd his mind started to fill with thoughts following his conversation with the senator of Naboo. He couldn't stand politicians. He was not interested in politics and was a much more devoted supporter of aggressive negotiations. He hated politicians, all of them, and that included his master. There had once been a time when he loved a certain senator from Naboo, but that was a long time ago "_and you killed her_" he said in his mind. He was forever bound to his master and was still a slave, just as he had been on Tatooine and as a Jedi.

Vader made his way through the bustling groups of dignitaries and up the stairs to where the Emperor was sat on his chair watching over the scenes below. Vader bowed to the Emperor subtly who then asked, "I pray you bring me good news, my friend".

Vader was not inclined to admit that he had found out very little from penetrating the minds of the guests and instead replied "I am certain your suspicions on Bail Organa and Mon Mothma are correct my master".

Palpatine smiled and responded, "Ahh yes, I have been well aware of their treacherous activities for a long time, we now just need them to make a mistake before I can destroy them and their ridiculous rebel alliance." He paused and then asked Vader "It seems Naboo has finally managed to fill the void of the late Senator Amidala. What do you think of Sabé Soruna, she certainly reminds me of Amidala in that dress? She was always so desperate to stand out and receive gratification from men". Palpatine could not resist having another stab at Vader through the use of Padmé and he relished in the pain it bought his apprentice.

Vader took a deep breath and forced down the hatred he felt and replied "Her mental walls seem strong master. It appears she is connected to the house of Alderaan. I believe she may have received some training to shield her mind. There is very little information I have managed to acquire from her".

"I must say Vader I am very disappointed at your apparent lack of progress. The whole purpose of this event was to obtain information needed to annihilate the leads of the Rebellion and all you seem to have down is waltz around flirting with women in here like you used to do with that whore Amidala. I do not want useless scraps of information Vader, I want results". Palpatine said impatiently.

"I shall integrate myself once again master. But this process takes time. I need to break down several walls of a person's mind to be able to access any valuable information. It is likely that any members of the Alliance will keep information about the Rebellion enclosed strongly within their mental walls. It is very difficult to penetrate through those barriers in a social setting this quickly" Vader insisted as calmly as possible.

"Yes, go. People may get suspicious of your appearance by my side if you remain any longer. You have two more hours Vader, then I have to go down and visit the scum myself, as a formal farewell" he said almost spitting the words. Sidious respected no one other than himself. To him, all below were simply puppets on thousands of strings that he could pull at any moment and they would do his bidding. Even his apprentice, whilst Vader lacked the experience, he made up for it in sheer power, skill and force ability. It was no secret that Sidious kept Vader on a tight leash so that he knew of his activities and whereabouts after all betrayal was the way of the Sith. Vader inclined his head before heading back down into the groups of subordinates below.

Vader continued to discreetly circle various delegates as he silently read the mind of every being that he passed. He was astounded by the amount of bantha poodoo some people were able to speak. Vader was certain that if any of these people had anything to find, they wouldn't have just thought it, they would have been stupid enough to say it aloud in an attempt to impress those around them. He was a man of few words and always said actions spoke louder than small meaningless phrases merged together to form mumbles and excuses; that was the job of the politicians.

Leaving the bustling group of intoxicated vermin behind, Vader continued on his mission around the vast ballroom. His eyes concentrated on a group of politicians, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and Sabé Soruna conversing in the far corner of the room. He and his master had long suspected that Senator Organa was involved heavily in the Rebel Alliance, but they had never managed to find sufficient evidence to validate his arrest and execution. His mind was relatively strong to his attempts to enter, again making him wonder if someone had taught him such a trick. But Vader and the Emperor had to be careful; Organa's wife was the Queen of Alderaan, and an unjust arrest could cause an uprising from a valued state in the Empire.

Senator Mon Mothma was the same, she was a long-standing politician for her planet, and this offered her a degree of immunity. She had served her homeworld of Chandrila in the Galactic Senate alongside the likes of Palpatine and Senator Amidala. She was now the planet's representative in the Imperial Senate but had been outspoken against the increase in executive power given to the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, and that made her a threat. Vader snarled under his mask as he snuck into the shadows of the ballroom, not wanting to appear as an isolated fool in the room. He returned his concentration back to the trio, but this time focused on the new Senator of Naboo. It was difficult for him to process her presence. This woman was a harsh reminder of his biggest scar, a knife that would forever be twisted in his heart. In his eyes, there was only ever one senator of Naboo and that was Padmé, but she was gone. He again attempted to penetrate the walls of the Senator's mind and was shocked and frustrated at how secure it was. Despite the mask obscuring her face, Vader judged she was relatively young and had only recently been placed into office and had served as a simple handmaiden to the Queen prior to this; so how were her mental walls so strong? Vader tensed his cybernetic hand under his leather glove in frustration. He knew he had to offer his master some articles of information, or he would risk punishment. He was certain of Senator Organa being involved, and it was more than likely Mon Mothma too was an orchestrator of this Rebellion but was it now possible that this new Senator of Naboo was also involved. His intense curiosity surprised even himself and he was forced to question whether he was interested in the Senator's intentions because of her potential connection to the Rebel Alliance, or because of how her position reminded him of Padmé. Once again tonight he had found himself thinking of Padmé. The frequency of his torturous thoughts was becoming a distraction, and more than ever Vader was trying to drive them away. Padmé was gone, she was dead, and he needed to accept that. But the hate he bore for himself over her death only sought to drive him more to the dark side.

As Vader skulked through the dignitaries and officers one last time a call was made, signalling the Emperor was coming to bid his farewell. The Emperor descended the stairs slowly, with aids and armed guards by his side. Vader knew this was all for show. The reality was the Emperor needed none of their protection. He was a Sith Lord and would be able to destroy any insignificant human who attempted a feeble attack in seconds. There was no one in that room who would have a chance of destroying the Emperor; except for perhaps Vader himself. The Emperor moved across the room greeting the groups of delegates in turn, arriving at Vader's group of officers. He said very little and simply accepted their pleasantries and thanked them for attending. Vader watched intently as his master made it to the rear of the palace ballroom where Bail, Mothma and Soruna were gathered. Using the force, he was able to hear their conversation.

"We thank you for your invitation to this event Supreme Chancellor. It has been a splendorous night of celebration". Bail Organa stated. Mothma nodded in agreement and added, "Indeed it is a rare time when beings from across the galaxy are able to join in unison in the same place".

Palpatine tilted his head in acknowledgement of their statements, well aware of the fabrication behind their words. He forced a smile and turned to face Padmé before addressing her and saying "It is a pleasure to finally meet the new Senator of my homeworld. It has been a long time, and I know filling the void of my good friend Senator Amidala is a big responsibility. I am confident you will serve your planet well as she did. I know it would please her to see her position being occupied again. I do hope so see you in attendance in the Senate and at more public events, Senator Soruna".

Padmé bowed subtly to the Emperor before saying "Indeed my Lord, it is my greatest pleasure to serve the planet of Naboo and I only hope to serve as my predecessor did and act in the best interests of my people". Padmé chose her words carefully. She knew the Emperor would be curious about the new Senator, and that her allies made her a potential threat. Padmé had to play her part well, and so she did. Altering her voice to avoid detection was not difficult, as this was something she did for formality as Queen and came to her quite naturally.

Palpatine nodded and simply replied "I shall be watching your progress with high expectations, Senator". With that, he walked away escorted by his guards and made his way back up the stairs before exiting the room through the large double doors that spanned from the floor to the high ceiling. Padmé could not help but breathe a sigh of relief when the Emperor left. Tonight had been very overwhelming for her. She had returned to a planet that held a lot of painful memories for her and had come face to face with the man who catalyst the fall of the republic she served and loved. She had positioned herself right at the heart of those she most hated and she couldn't help but feel slightly broken by it. For once Padmé was grateful for her mask, it hid the pained expression of her face and allowed more time to compose herself.

"Well with that I think I best be heading back home too. I have a lot of business to attend to and I see no reason to stay here any longer". Padmé said to Bail and Mothma as they too seemed to have relaxed a little now Palpatine had departed. The pair knew why Padmé was so keen to leave. She had taken a great risk in being here, but it was also a lot to ask of her. Bail knew more than most how emotionally taxing tonight must have been, and it made him proud to see the strong woman he knew she was. He also knew her business did require her attention back home. She needed to return to see the twins but also had a lot to do as her new role as Senator for Naboo. This was a lot of responsibility Padmé had taken on and was now juggling being a mum, the Black Widow and Senator Soruna. But busy was good, busy meant Padmé was distracted. For 8 years she had sought distractions. She did not permit herself enough time to think about the past, the past would haunt her forever, but could not hurt her if she didn't think about it.

"Goodnight Senator and thank you for attending with us". Bail replied tilting his head in acknowledgement under his mask.

"I hope you both have safe journeys back and I am certain I will see you both in attendance in the Senate". Padmé stated, knowing full well this statement was just for show. She would likely see Bail and Mon more and more now as she occupied her new role, as well as continuing as the Black Widow.

"Goodnight Sabé". Mothma said as Padmé tied her robe around her neck and walked around the tables across the room towards the landing bay.

Vader had been watching the exchange from behind the shadows and saw as the young Senator made her way to leave the room. He was not surprised by her departure. It had been a long evening and he himself would be grateful to leave, but he had to wait for his officers to depart for the cruiser back to the Executor. Tomorrow, Vader would meet with his master to discuss his findings, and whilst Vader was certain he knew who was involved, he was concerned he had not found any sufficient evidence that would satisfy his master. A fire in his belly began to burn as he comprehended the possibility of failure. He could not fail his master, failure meant punishment and enduring torture.


	3. Chapter 3 - Disguise

Padmé returned to her ship and set her co-ordinates for Naboo. She was thankful that the event was over and to be heading back home to the twins and Obi-Wan. Tonight had been a necessary evil for her, and she knew her attendance was important to introduce herself as this new alias she was becoming. Her integration into the heart of the Senate would help with her activities amongst the Alliance. They relied upon important information of the Empire's plans in order to foil them. Whilst a lot had failed, some had succeeded, and it was those successes that gave the Rebellion hope. Padmé knew someday the Empire would fall, that with the hard work of her and her allies they would bring the Empire to its knees and destroy the Emperor and Darth Vader. Padmé's mind raced with thoughts as her ship flew across the galaxy back towards home.

Vader was thankful when his men decided to depart the ball and return to the Executor. Only Grand Moff Tarkin and Captain Piett were aware of the Dark Lord's presence as an Imperial Officer that night and so had ensured their behaviour had remained professional. There was very little that could be said for the remainder of the officers on board the cruiser back to the Executor. Vader was disgusted by their behaviour but was bought some pleasure by the prospect of many of them returning to work in a few hours feeling sick and sleep-deprived. He would be sure to work them even harder and punish them for their excessive alcohol consumption. As the cruiser landed back on the Executor, Vader retired to his chambers and removed his mask once inside. He pondered over his findings for some time before heading to his hyperbaric chamber to rest. Vader sat in the seat in the centre of the chamber and pressed the button in the central column, closing the chamber and lowering his breathing mask for sleep.

The next morning Padmé awoke to the sun shining through her bedroom curtains. She had never been an over-sleeper and as Queen was expected to be awake before her people and was not a habit she had broken as Senator. She put on her nightgown and entered the kitchen to find Luke and Leia sat eating breakfast at the table.

"Mummy you're back. How was the party?". The twins asked in unison.

Padmé smiled seeing the twins and replied, "Morning you two trouble-makers, and the party was good thank you, but I am happy to be back at home with my babies". She walked over to the table and kissed them both on the cheeks softly. "Where is Obi-Wan?" she asked the twins.

"He is meditating and doing some lightsabre practice I think". Leia said as Luke's mouth was full of pancakes.

"I thought he might be. He does like to do that in the morning". Padmé stated. Just then TC-04 walked into the kitchen and said "Ah good morning Mistress Padmé. Might I get you some breakfast this morning"? Padmé smiled and said, "That would be great thanks TC, I'm just going to go and find Obi-Wan". Padmé walked down the corridor into the guest chambers that Obi-Wan occupied and found him sat on the floor with his legs tightly crossed.

He sensed her presence before she began to speak and said "Good morning Padmé. I trust you had a productive trip". Padmé smiled and said "I'm sorry I hope I'm not disturbing you. And yes, it was rather productive. That is what I came to speak to about actually. As you are aware, I am now adopting the alias of Sabé Soruna the new acting Senator for Naboo. I am now going to have increased responsibilities where I will be required to travel more to Coruscant to attend Senate meetings, and I want to know I have your support and you are able to help in look after and protecting Luke and Leia".

Obi-Wan was silent for a moment, processing all she had to say before replying "Padmé you know you have my support in your work for the Alliance. All I ask is that you carefully consider the risks you are taking. You are considering going and attending the Senate, where there are spies for the Empire all around, not to mention Palpatine and Vader. I fear that it is so much to risk as your role as the Black Widow. I just want you to make you are considering all the risks and the safety of yourself and the twins". Obi-Wan stood up from his position of meditation and walked over to where Padmé was standing.

"I know Obi-Wan and I want you to know that I have considered all that I am going to do. My priority is always the twins and I am forever grateful for the fact that you are here and able to help so much with the twins. But I know that as Sabé Soruna I will have access to so much more valuable information from inside the Senate that the Alliance can use. It will not be forever, and I know how to play my part. I am simply occupying the role I used to have. The processes are the same. I just have to make sure everyone sees me as Sabé, not Padmé". She replied, having clearly considered all the points Obi-Wan raised.

"Indeed, I agree". Obi-Wan stated. "But you were most fortunate that the Empire Day Ball was a masquerade ball. I still worry that people will recognise you. I know it has been 8 years, but Padmé you were so well known". Obi-Wan added.

"I agree with you, and I have thought about this". Padmé said as she walked across the room to the mirror. "My hair is already a lot shorter than it was as Padmé, and I am going to have it coloured and highlighted. I will also wear green eye contacts and I will be sure to wear sufficient makeup that masks my true face".

"I never doubted that you had thought all this through clearly Padmé," Obi-Wan said with a smile, knowing how organised she had been and always was. "I just hope the twins are able to deal with you being gone more often. I have started to do more training with them, and I know TC-04 takes pleasure in schooling them so I hope we will be able to occupy their time well enough". He added, knowing the twins had such a strong bond to their mother.

The next morning Vader awoke early and was summoned to his communication centre to contact his master. He knelt in the chamber and waited for his master's projection to appear. As Palpatine's image appeared he said "Rise my servant. What fruitful news do you bring me from last night?". Vader rose from his subordinate position and stated "I am confident that Organa and Mothma are involved heavily in the Alliance. The new Senator of Naboo is also a potential threat, she had strong mental walls and were not easy to penetrate, I would require more time to interrogate her mind".

Palpatine put a hand up as Vader spoke and said "This is not new information Vader; this is suspicions we already had. I cannot simply order their arrests as you are well aware".

Vader nodded and replied, "Yes Master I know that but …"

"Fortunately, I have developed a plan that will trap their rebels for the rats they are. We will begin by making arrests of insignificant beings in the Senate. Disappearances will start to be noticed, and soon enough the ones involved will be forced to make a decision. Once they fear being discovered one of them will surely make a mistake and then we will strike". Palpatine interrupted, divulging his plan to his apprentice.

"That is a very good plan, my master. However, what is to be done with the individuals who are arrested? Are we to keep them in cells on the Executor or in the Senate?". Vader asked.

"I don't care what you do with the vermin, Vader. They are simply bait to catch the big fish in the Alliance. The arrests will not cause major disruption outside the Senate and I do not want this to be something that gains too much attention. But it will scare people into compliance, and it will get the attention of those whom we desire. See to it that it is done. The arrests need to be convincing Vader and do not make too much of a mess, I have enough of your collateral damage to deal with. See to it that you do not fail me this time". Palpatine said, almost spitting his words out like a serpent. Before Vader could respond the communication ended. Whilst Vader had no respect for politicians or human life, the prospect of making these arrests was arduous. Vader would need to be seen to interrogate them for knowledge of the Alliance, which they would not have, and then terminate them for treason against the Empire. Vader revelled in inflicting pain and torture and his hatred for enemies of the Empire only fuelled his fire. He would do his masters bidding and he would once and for all destroy the Rebel Alliance and come face to face to bring an end to the Black Widow.

4 days had passed, and Padmé had heard nothing from Bail or Mothma since the Empire Day Ball. She had been growing increasingly concerned. Her concern was exacerbated by a call for a session of the Senate tomorrow which required her attendance. Whilst she was anxious about returning to Coruscant and the Senate she was certain that Bail and Mon would too be in attendance and she would be able to settle her nerves regarding their welfare. Padmé felt prepared to take on her role as Sabé. She had dyed her hair and had her contacts ready. Tomorrow she would head for a session in the Senate, and her journey as Senator of Naboo would begin.

Vader had now interrogated 6 senate personnel and had acquired no knowledge of any significance. This fact frustrated him immensely, but he was also not particularly shocked. He had received orders from his master to make arrests, and that was what he had done. His master cared not for the people he took, so Vader took pride in selecting each individual carefully. He had arrested the Senator from Tatooine, who in 13 years had done nothing to prevent the continued rule of the Hutts and permitted slavery to continue. He arrested the Senator from Cato Neimoidia because that was the hub planet of the trade federation who were responsible for the assassination attempts on Padmé Amidala. The others were insignificant beings Vader did not concern himself with. His mission was being accomplished, there was panic rushing through the Senate, and with a session being called tomorrow, any members of the Alliance would be in attendance quiver with fear over discovery.

Back on Naboo, Padmé was packing for her trip to the Senate. She was uncertain how long the session would require her attendance so packed extra clothing in case. She came into the kitchen and her disguise surprised Luke, Leia and Obi-Wan. "Mummy no one will recognise you like that; your eyes make you look so different". Luke said staring intently at his mother.

"Well, that is the idea. I must be able to go and do my job, but I cannot risk anyone recognising me". She replied as she closed her very full suitcase. "Now you must promise me to be very good for Obi-Wan and to do as he says and to also do your homework for 3PO because school is important too".

"Yes mum, we promise". The twins replied in unison. She hugged them both goodbye and exited the room with Obi-Wan carrying her case to her ship on the landing platform below.

"Now Padmé, make sure you keep your mental shields up and always be conscious of the people you are around. These are trying times and there are very few people we can trust". Obi-Wan stated as he placed Padmé's case onto her ship.

Padmé smiled and replied "Thank you Obi-Wan. I will contact you on my private communication line if I am permitted the privacy to do so. I am currently unsure when I will return, but I will as soon as I am able". She hugged Obi-Wan goodbye and boarded her ship once again set for Coruscant.

Vader had had a long day interrogating the members of the Senate. It transpired none were aware of any Rebel activities or any suspicious activities of Bail Organa. It was clear to Vader that whoever was involved maintained a very strict circle of allies. This was likely why Vader and his master were finding it so difficult to acquire any evidence. Vader concluded that soon the only option would be to arrest and interrogate Bail and Mothma and face the consequences after. Vader did not give a damn about the press, or his reputation. He was not popular with the masses and was only respected because he was feared. His master, however, was a lot more concerned with his image. As the Supreme Chancellor and a politician, it was important for Palpatine to be seen to act in the best interests of the people, and if he was seen to arrest two very popular senators with no evidence, it would create a political backlash, and potentially catalyse a greater rebellion.

Padmé arrived at the Imperial Senate on Coruscant and was greeted by her new aid. She assumed she would be staying for more than a day and informed her aid that she would require someone to stay for at least tonight. As she walked into her new office in the Senate, she was more than relieved to be greeted by Bail Organa in the corridor near her door.

"Bail, it is so good to see you". Padmé said. A mixture of surprised and relief was painted on her face, as Bail indicated for them to talk further in her office.

"Padmé, I am so thankful you are here. We have been unable to communicate with you since the Imperial Ball and I was worried something had happened to you". Bail said, the concern in his voice was very apparent and it started to worry Padmé. It now made sense, they had been unable to contact her, and she had been unable to contact them. "Have you heard what has been happening?" Bail asked Padmé.

"No, I have not. I haven't heard about anything since I returned back home from the Empire Day Ball". Padmé said the concern growing in her voice as Bail paced in front of her desk.

"Since the ball, there have been several disappearances in the Senate. Many politicians have been rumoured to have been arrested by Vader, from different planets including Tatooine and Cato Neimoidia. Mothma and I were so concerned that perhaps something may have happened to you. We know that Palpatine has been suspicious about us for a long time, and I am concerned that it was wrong to bring you into this because there will be a great amount of suspicion surrounding you and I fear I may have put you in a lot of danger". Bail detailed. Padmé was taken aback by the news of disappearances, and the thought of the fates of those individuals taken made her shiver. If Vader had made the arrests, it was likely they had been interrogated and would likely now be dead.

Padmé straightened her dress and said "I am most grateful to see you and Mothma are both still present. And I knew the risk before I came to her Bail. I am here to make a difference and in service to a cause I believe in and it is very important that I am here. But I agree we must take extra care if arrests are being made. We cannot be certain who is watching or listening. I think it is best if we head to the Senate meeting now" she said to her colleague. It would be interesting to attend the senate discussion and see who was missing. The disappearances had surely not gone unnoticed. When Padmé and Bail arrived at their seats in the Senate the atmosphere was tense and hostile. Clearly news of the arrests had spread and there were more empty seats than usual. Padmé knew many people would be scared by these disappearances, and also knew that was likely their very intention. But this was why she was here. She wanted things like this to stop, she wanted innocent blood to stop being spilt and she wanted Palpatine and Vader to pay for what they had done.

After several hours of continuous debating, the council session is adjourned, as no conclusion had been met. They agreed they would resume proceedings tomorrow with the hope of coming to a decision then. Padmé departed her seat in the chambers and as she walked down the corridor was grabbed by the arm and pulled into the shadows. She was about to shout when she recognised it was her friend Mon Mothma. "Padmé, we don't have much time, Vader is in the Senate, and I fear he is not here to discuss politics, you should leave. Bail and I think you should go into hiding; we cannot risk you being arrested like some of our colleagues, you have such a vital role to play". She exclaimed doing her best to speak in hushed whispers.

Padmé too looked around before saying "Mon you know I appreciate your concern. But I cannot simply leave. I have only just started to integrate myself into the senate, and I fear my departure would create great amounts of suspicion. I know I can best serve my cause and the people here" she stated, trying to maintain ambiguity in her words. She smiled at her friend, placed a soothing hand on her shoulder and walked into the corridor out of the main senate assembly. It was indeed a worry that Vader was here. He was not involved in politics, and would only be here for one reason, and that was to do the Emperor's bidding and strike fear into those in the senate.

She walked back to her office quickly and sat down at her desk, sighing heavily. She knew Bail and Mon just wanted to protect her, and she knew how dangerous it was being here, being right at the heart of the Empire as the Black Widow, the enemy the Emperor and Vader have sworn to find and destroy. But she had to be here. Padmé had committed so much to the Alliance and everything it stood for. She didn't just do it for herself, she did it so one day the twins wouldn't have to live in fear, she did it for Obi-Wan and all the Jedi who were lost during the Great Purge, and she did it for Anakin. Padmé was snapped from her thoughts as an imperial guard entered her office, followed by her personal aid. She stood up at their presence and asked, "Is there something wrong?".


	4. Chapter 4 - Protector

"My lady, your ship, it has just been destroyed. There appeared to have been an explosive device attached to the hull. When a mechanic went to fix your air filter, he must have set it off." Her aid informed her.

Padmé sat down in her chair in shock. As Queen and Senator Amidala, she was no stranger to assassination attempts, but as Senator Soruna, she had only been in office for several days; how had she drawn that much attention to herself already?

"My lady, the Emperor has requested that you remain in your office until we can be certain the senate is safe for you. He is on his way here to see you personally". The guard informed her as she remained sat in her chair. She tensed at the prospect of Emperor coming here. This would be the first time she had met him without her mask when she would meet Sheev face to face, disguised by her new appearance and altered voice. Several moments of silence passed in the room, with Padmé remaining at her desk and the guard standing at her door. Her aid had departed to inform her colleagues that her meeting later would be cancelled. Padmé stood again from her seat as she noticed the guard tense and the Emperor standing in her doorway.

"Emperor Palpatine. It is a pleasure to see you again. I fear you have been called here unnecessarily. I hope this has not been an inconvenience to you, My Lord". Padmé said eloquently and calmly, ensuring she maintained her regal voice, as the Emperor walked slowly into her office.

He lifted his hand subtly in dismissal before saying "Senator, I was very distressed to hear about the attack on your ship. As you know I am very passionate about politics and of Naboo particularly, and it shocked me to hear that clearly an assassination attempt had been made on your life". He paused for a second before adding "I have no doubt that the work you do and intend to do for my home planet is invaluable, and I see no reason to let the coward who committed this heinous act get away with it. Therefore, I have assigned my apprentice to your protection, Lord Vader". At that moment the silence was broken by the masked monster's mechanical breathing as he entered the room. "He will be responsible for guarding you during your time in the Senate, and I have personally arranged for you to stay in my private accommodation of 500 Republica. I can promise you that you will be safe there."

Padmé was taken aback by the Emperor's solution and smiled before saying "My Lord, whilst I am so grateful for your gracious display of protection, but I doubt I require that rigorous of a protection detail. I am certain that Lord Vader has more important duties to attend to". Padmé was terrified at the prospect of being under the keen eye of Lord Vader. How she hated him, he was responsible for the death of her husband, and she could not bear to be near him.

Palpatine smiled and said "Please my lady, I insist. I have lost one Senator from Naboo, and I cannot stand to lose another". His words twisted on his tongue so skilfully, reminding Padmé of how he had deceived so many of his intentions, including her and she blamed herself for Palpatine's ascension to power.

Padmé considered his statement. She could not continue to decline his offer without arousing suspicion. Whilst the prospect of being around Vader made her sick, it would at least permit her to remain in the senate and conduct more of her duties. She would have to think about how to contact Obi-Wan and inform him she would not be returning home for the foreseeable future. She was worried about how the twins would react. She would attempt to contact Bail and ask him to inform Obi-Wan. That would likely be her most efficient form of contact, as she could not risk her cover being blown. As these thoughts raced through her mind Padmé smiled at the Emperor and said "Thank you, my Lord, you are too kind. I am uncertain how long I will be detained on Naboo for because of my duties, but I hope then I can return to my home planet and continue my duties there".

The Emperor nodded and replied "Yes, milady, it is certainly my hope that you are around for a long time to serve my home planet. I would be most distressed to hear of any harm coming to you". He paused before adding "Vader will escort you out of the Senate when you finish for the day and meet you on your arrival at Senate in the morning. I will have an aid from 500 Republica to transport you from your apartment to the Senate each morning. Good day Senator". Palpatine turned and left the room, as Vader remained. His tall, dark figure remained very tense and Padmé tried as hard as she could to not look up at him. His presence was overwhelming to her, and she fought very hard to hide the emotions that were tearing her up inside. But she had to keep her mental walls strong and focus on the task at hand. Padmé packed her work case for the day and headed out of the room as Vader followed behind. They walked in silence to the landing platform where an aid was waiting to fly her to her apartment. No words were exchanged as Padmé departed the Senate, completely overwhelmed by today's events.

Vader felt as though he was about to explode under his mask and suit. Following the attack on the Senators ship, his master had summoned him to the Senate. His master informed him that he would be placed in the position as her personal security. Vader was enraged by this idea and insisted that this was a job for a protection detail, not a Sith Lord. Palpatine calms his apprentice and informs him that this façade will be used as an excellent opportunity for Vader to break down the mental walls of the Senator and acquire any information about the Rebel Alliance that she may have. The prospect of having to babysit the Senator made Vader seethe with anger. He was the second most powerful man in the galaxy, and he was being assigned to protect a silly young senator who served no real purpose. Enraged, Vader turned and left the landing bay and departed for his establishments on the planet. Vader could tell that this mission was going to ruin him. But he would break the senator, he would find all her needed to know, and he would not fail this time.

Bail paced up and down his office with great concern. He had been informed by his aid that there had been an assassination attempt on Senator Soruna's life, and he was so incredibly relieved to hear she was safe. As the news began to circulate around the Senate, he was joined shortly after by Mon Mothma.

"Bail, have you heard what happened?" Mothma asked, shutting the door to Bail's office.

"Indeed, I have Mon. Whilst I am glad that Padmé is okay, I am most distressed to hear that she has been placed under the personal protection of Vader". Bail sat at his desk and rubbed his tired eyes. "I knew to get her involved in the Senate was a mistake. We should have kept her away, she was of just as valuable as Black Widow away from here. We got greedy and complacent and look where it has got us". He shook his head in shame as Mon walked over to his desk.

"We cannot let the Emperor and Vader ruin everything we have fought so hard to build. We must trust that Padmé will remain strong against the force powers of Vader. As long as she can keep her identity as Black Widow a secret, the Rebel Alliance still has hope". Mon commented, hoping to try and soothe her concerned colleague and friend.

Bail paused for a moment before simply saying "It is not her identity of Black Widow that I am concerned about Vader discovering. If Vader was to realise that Senator Soruna was the believed deceased Padmé Amidala, all would be lost". Bail knew that this secret was something kept between himself and Obi-Wan. They had agreed that Padmé could never know the devastating truth of what happened to Anakin Skywalker. "Mon, Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker", Bail revealed. Mothma was unable to stop the shocked expression that was painted all over her face. She was so upset by this revelation. Anakin Skywalker had been a hero for the Republic, and she had her suspicions about the secret love affair between the young Jedi and Padmé.

"If this is true Bail, then I fear we have placed Padmé in more danger than she realises. This could destroy her and everything we have built". She stated as she pondered over the information that had just been divulged to her. It was imperative her mind remained closed to this fact. The fate of Padmé and the Rebel Alliance depended on the real identities of Vader and Senator Soruna remaining completely unknown, especially to one another.

"I must contact Obi-Wan and inform him of all that has happened. If Padmé has been placed under Vader's care and accommodated, here on Coruscant she will not be returning home soon. I must keep him appraised of everything, and he will have to tell the twins". Bail announced as he stood to depart his office, with Mon Mothma following him.

Padmé's escort ship docked on the landing bay of the Republica 500 apartments. She was offered a hand-out of the ship by her escort, who she thanked. She was informed that her cases had been bought here and that she had a droid who would cater for any needs she may have. He agreed with her when he would arrive to pick her up in the morning and bid the Senator good night. Padmé thanked the escort before walking into the apartment. Whilst she knew this was not the same apartment, she occupied 8 years ago, the familiarity created an overwhelming wave of emotion. Padmé walked slowly into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the large bed. The events of today had more than taken their toll and the tears started to stream down Padmé's face. Only several days into office someone had attempted to assassinate her, and she had now been placed under the 'protection' of the man she hated the most in the Galaxy. How was she going to be able to live, being around that monster knowing everything he had done? Padmé had spent the last 8 years grieving the death of her husband but had been fuelled by her desire to serve the Rebellion and bring an end to the Empire and the tyrannous reign of Emperor and Darth Vader. Padmé knew that it was likely the Emperor had strategically situated Vader near her, in order to wear her down and attempt to read her mind. She knew it was imperative she maintains her strong façade and continue to serve the Rebellion. She had not sacrificed all she had to let it be destroyed now when she was so close. Padmé wiped her tears and walked into the fresher to remove her makeup and contacts and prepare for bed.

Vader landed on the platform of his establishments and disembarked his ship. The events of today had truly enraged him. He ripped off his mask and armour carelessly as he entered his chambers. Only several days ago Vader was on an invaluable mission to identify members of the treacherous Rebel Alliance and destroy them once and for all. How could his master degrade his duties by demanding he act as a bodyguard to the pathetic Senator Soruna? She was of no value to the Emperor, potentially only as a pawn he could use to manipulate decisions in the Senate. But Vader knew the Senate was all a façade anyway. The Empire was a dictatorship. It was not about debates and politics it was about influence and power. The Emperor served those who were in his pocket, and he made decisions that served him best. So why did he want to protect this useless Senator? His master claimed he wanted him to break her mental walls and find out what she knew about the Rebellion. He admitted that her arrival into the Senate and her relationship with Bail Organa and Mon Mothma was very fortuitous, and whilst she may have something to hide, Vader did not see how it justified her constant protection from him. If she had died in that assassination attack nothing would have changed. Vader could have continued searching for the Rebel Scum and Naboo would no longer have a Senator, as it hadn't since the Empire's inception. There wasn't a need to occupy the position. Why fill it now when no one had stood since the death of Senator Amidala. Vader hated her for this. He hated how she reminded him of her, of the women who was his source of constant pain and torture. He knew it was imperative he maintained focus and continued his mission to serve the Empire. Vader had not sacrificed all he had to let it be destroyed by some stupid, naïve senator from Naboo. Vader took a deep breath and walked to the fresher to shower before preparing to rest.

The next morning Padmé awoke early. She had slept very little being in this new room and had forgotten how distracting all the lights and sounds could be from the constantly busy Coruscant skyways. She prepared for her day, applying her routine makeup and contacts and styling her hair. She met her escort by the balcony platform and headed to the Senate.

Vader had slept very little that night. He had been plagued with dreams, dreams of that day on Mustafar and of Padmé. Whilst these were not new to Vader he was becoming increasingly frustrated with the frequency of these dreams. In the last week, he had been overwhelmed with thoughts of Padmé, and it was driving him to distraction. He dressed in all his armour and suit and placed his mask and vocaliser and boarded his speeder to the Senate.

When Padmé arrived at the Senate, she was surprised to see Vader standing at the bottom of the ramp of her shuttle. He did not speak or even acknowledge her as they began to walk to her office. He did not walk beside her, but instead several feet behind her. This disturbed Padmé in many ways, but she was grateful he did not speak to her and hoped she would be free of his monstrous presence soon. Padmé arrived at her office and sat down at her desk. Vader stood in the doorway and she was unsure if he was going to stand there all day or if he was preparing to speak. With his mask and armour on Vader were a true Dark Knight of mystery, people were unable to tell when he was going to speak or even move, and she was only informed of his presence by his signature breathing.

Interrupting her thoughts Vader spoke "You are not to leave your office without an escort. I will bring you to and from your office at the start and end of each day. If you must leave during this time, summon a trooper to escort you, understood Senator". Padmé was shocked by the depth in his voice. This was the first time she had heard the Dark Lord speak, and he truly was as intimidating as he was rumoured to be. Padmé listened intently before nodding at his statement and replying simply with "understood". With her acknowledgement Vader left, using the force to close her door behind her.

Bail had successfully managed to contact Obi-Wan yesterday, informing him of the unanticipated circumstances that had arisen. Obi-Wan was hugely distressed by this news as he knew how dangerous it was for Padmé to be around Vader for too long. Obi-Wan asked Bail to provide Padmé with a new jammed frequency communication link so that he would be able to contact her in her apartment without detection. Obi-Wan knew had to stay and watch the twins, so had to trust that Bail would protect Padmé while she was in the senate. He was unsure of what the Emperor's intentions were. Whoever it was that attempted to assassinate Senator Soruna had failed, and it was clearly important to Palpatine that she stayed alive. He would not assign someone as powerful as Vader unless he thought it was necessary. Bail Organa entered the Senate building a little later than usual and headed immediately for Padmé's office. He was not surprised to see an armed trooper stood outside her door.

Staying calm and professional Bail walked to her door and said, "Could you please inform Senator Soruna, I am here for our meeting please trooper".

The trooper nodded and replied, "Yes Senator Organa". The trooper turned to open the door to her office and announced the Senator's arrival. Padmé indicated for him to enter and Bail walked in and sat down at the chair by her desk, as the trooper shut the door behind them.

As the door shut Bail reached into his pocket and handed the communication device to Padmé. "Before anything is said or we are interrupted I want to give you this comms device. Obi-Wan asked me to give this to you. It has a frequency jamming chip in it, so you will be able to make undetected and encrypted communications to him when you are at your apartment". Bail said handing the device to her. Padmé took it from his hand and placed it in her bag by the side of her desk. "Thank you Bail", she replied.

"You must be careful Padmé. You must not underestimate the powers of Vader. I am certain the Emperor has placed you under his protection for a reason. He means to read your mind and see if you know anything". Bail said concerningly.

Padmé placed a gentle hand on top of Bails and replied, "I truly appreciate your concern and I know the position I am in here. I am confident my mental walls are strong, and once the immediate threat is over, I will inform the Emperor that Vader's protection is not necessary and then I can return to Naboo. This won't go on for long, Bail, but you must have hope". She has positively.

"I hope you are right Padmé. I have promised Obi-Wan I will protect you and I will do all I can. But you must do everything possible to protect yourself. Keep your shields up and stay away from Vader as much as possible". Bail stated, knowing Padmé did not realise truly how dangerous it was for her to be around Vader.

Padmé smiled and said "Thank you Bail. And I am truly grateful for your friendship, and I know that all of this will be worth it in the end. Now, I think we should both pursue our individual duties before anyone gets suspicious" she adds, as she stands to leave, putting on her robe, as Bail too stands and departs. Bail opened the door for her as Padmé informed the trooper she needed to be escorted to a meeting. The trooper nodded in acknowledgement and Bail and Padmé separated ways as her door closed behind her.

Vader was enraged that he was having to spend his days in the Senate, juggling meeting between delegates and officers. Vader had no time for politics and believed it all to be a waste of time. He had been in this meeting for several hours and so far, the sides were unable to agree and were still at a deadlock. Vader was not there to make a contribution; he was there to scare people into doing their job. He sat at the head of the table in silence, his only noise being from his respirator. He wondered how long he would have to busy himself with such matters, how long it would be before he was able to break the senator, or someone was successful in their attempt to assassinate her. Whilst Vader had few objections to the demise of the Senator, it would mean his mission was a failure, and failure meant punishment. Vader was broken from his thoughts when several of the delegates stood up. Governor Tarkin sat at the opposite head of the table and stated "We shall reconvene tomorrow. This is a matter of great importance to the Emperor and it is essential that we make the correct decision, to help ensure the growing power of the Empire, and the destruction of the Rebellion".

Each individual nodded in agreement and departed the room. Vader too left quickly and headed to the senator's office to see if she was ready to depart. He was disappointed to discover that her room was vacant and was informed that she had been detained in a series of meetings since her arrival this morning. Frustrated at this, Vader decided to use the opportunity to go and practice his sabre skills. There was a private training room situated in the Senate for such a purpose. Few knew of its existence, but it allowed Vader to submerge himself in the dark side calling upon his hatred to fuel his physical training. Vader knew he was physically stronger than his master. His master was old and weak, and he was young and powerful. But his master possessed one thing he did not. The power of Sith lightning, if used at its full capacity had the ability to disrupt all of Vader's respiratory equipment, and whilst he could live without it for some time now, he was not fully healed and the immense power of the lighting could cause Vader to have a fatal heart attack. It angered him immensely that this made him weak, that Obi-Wan had done this to him on Mustafar, leaving him to burn after severing 3 of his limbs. He called upon the memories of that pain to fuel his training.

Padmé returned to her office more than an hour later and sat back down at her desk. She wondered when Vader would come to her office to escort her back, but she was not complaining about his absence so decided to continue working, writing a to-do list for tomorrow and the next few days. As she sat writing she suddenly felt a cold and dark presence enter her room. She looked up to see Vader stood in her doorway. He again said nothing as Padmé paused and said, "Give me 5 minutes to pack my things and I shall be ready to depart". Vader again did not respond and instead exited and stood outside her door. Padmé hastily packed her bag with all she needed, including her communication device. She put her robe back on and departed her office, with Vader again following several feet behind her. They walked in silence to the hangar bay where her pilot was there to meet her. Vader saw her step onto the ship and then quickly disappeared into the shadows, not wanting to be around the Senator or the Senate for a moment longer.

Padmé arrived back at her apartment and headed straight to the fresher to relieve herself from the confines of her disguise. She removed her contacts and washed her face before putting on her nightclothes and robe. She walked over to her bag and searched around for the communication device Bail had given her. She had committed Obi-Wan's frequency to memory and input it into the device, hoping he would answer. It only took a few seconds for a connection to be made. "Obi-Wan can you hear me?", Padmé asked as she waited for a response.

"Padmé, I am so glad to hear that you are alright. Bail has kept me appraised of all that has happened. The twins are doing well, and I have told them you are going to be away for a while, but they will see you soon". Obi-Wan replied. Padmé smiled at the mention of the twins and quickly asked to speak to them. The comm was silent for a few seconds before the voices of Luke and Leia could be heard.

"Hi Mommy, we miss you so much. We hope work isn't too boring". She heard Leia say.

"Obi-Wan has been training us and making sure we do our homework for TC, come home soon", Luke added.

"I love you both so much and I will be home as soon as I can. You know mommy has a very important job and that is why I must stay here" she said, knowing it was hard for them to understand. She wiped a fallen tear from her eye and said, "Right you little rascals should get some sleep, I love you with all my heart and I will speak to you again soon and see you soon". Padmé added hearing the twins head off to their rooms.

"Padmé you must be careful alright. I know Bail is doing everything he can to protect you. But Vader and the Emperor must have a plan for why they are placing you under Vader's protection, and no doubt this assassination attempt has provided them with an excellent opportunity". Obi-Wan stated, knowing how dangerous it was for Padmé to be around Vader as she was.

"I know Obi-Wan. I'm hoping that over the next few weeks the severity of the situation will lessen, and I can convince the Emperor that Vader's protection is not necessary. I cannot stand being around that mechanical monster" she stated matter of factly. "I am unsure when I will be able to contact you next, but I know between Bail and myself we will keep you informed. Thank you so much for looking after the twins, we are so lucky to have you. I know if Anakin was here, he too would be grateful for all you have done for us". Padmé added sincerely.

Obi-Wan was touched by her words and replied "Thank you Padmé. It is the least I can do. You and the twins are like family to me and I owe it to Anakin to protect you all with my life". Obi-Wan knew he had a lot to atone for, and that truthfully if Anakin did ever find out he was the one responsible for keeping Padmé from him, then he dreaded to think of the consequences. Anakin was gone, lost to the dark side and he had to accept that.

"I will speak to you soon Obi-Wan. Goodnight". Padmé said as she ended the communication. It made her happy to know the twins had Obi-Wan. In the absence of Anakin, Obi-Wan was the closest thing to a father figure the twins had. One day she would explain to them what happened. How their father was a good man, a hero, but he had been deceived by a lie and consumed by fear of the premonitions he had about her death. He had been manipulated and she lost him. Even her love for him was not enough to pull him from the depths of the dark side that consumed him, and that was something Padmé had to live with for the rest of her life. Feeling overwhelmed Padmé got a glass of water from the fresher and headed to her balcony for some fresh air. She needed to be strong if her mission was to succeed.

Vader arrived back at his establishments and headed straight to his chambers to relieve himself from the confines of his suit, armour and mask. As he disrobed, he walked to the fresher and started the shower. He caught his reflection in the mirror, his sith yellow eyes drawing his attention. He had been plagued by a lot of dreams lately, and the pain and hatred he felt were pushing him more and more into the dark side. He was training harder than he ever had, and he was finding himself being fully submersed in his master's dark side teachings. He was excellently skilled with his sabre, and his mind-reading abilities were unmatched, but he still lacked the teachings to do Sith lighting and had not been taught the art of stopping people from dying, the feat that had long ago drawn him to the dark side and its teachings. He winced at the cruel irony of it all. He had committed himself to his master, to learn the teachings of the dark side of the force, to save Padmé, because he could not lose her. He had done his master's bidding and stormed the Jedi temple, he had travelled to Mustafar, and destroyed the trade federation. But he then destroyed everything he had sworn to protect. On that day on the landing platform he had killed his angel, and their child she carried. The pain he felt for her loss was something that would never subside, he carried it with him forever. Vader placed both his hands against the wall in the shower to support himself, as the water cascaded harshly down his back. The waves of emotions overwhelmed him as he struggled to hold himself up. He had fought in battles and wars, been shot, stabbed, mutilated and burnt, but never had he felt pain like he did now. His master used this pain against him. Padmé was his hot iron branding Palpatine used to target his very soul and existence. This was why he needed to succeed. He could not risk failure, because that would mean punishment. Refocusing himself he stepped out the shower and put on his nightclothes before grabbing some water from the fresher and walking outside to get some fresh air. He needed to be strong if his mission was to succeed.


	5. Chapter 5 - First Failure

Padmé awoke the next morning, with very little recollection of when she went to sleep. She got out of bed and headed straight for the fresher to have a shower and get ready before her chauffeur came to fly her the Senate. Applying all her makeup and contacts each day was becoming increasingly tedious, and she longed for the day when she could return to Naboo and just be herself. She wasted no time getting ready before meeting her chauffeur on the balcony. She thanked him for the lift, and disembarked her ship, and was not surprised to see Vader standing at the bottom of the ramp, waiting for her, as he had done each day so far. She nodded her head in acknowledgement at him and was surprised when he appeared to do the same in return. Padmé was equally surprised when Vader walked alongside her, instead of behind. This was the closest Padmé had been to him, and she was a little more than intimidated by his stature, breathing and overall dark presence. She held nothing but hatred for Vader and it was becoming an increasing struggle for her to bury her emotions deep down. She was grateful that the walk to her office was not too far, as she walked into her office and Vader departed, leaving the trooper outside as usual.

Padmé did not have any meetings scheduled for today, so decided she would spend the day catching up on the large volume of paperwork and policy proposals she had stacked up on her desk. She had spent so long dividing her attention between the Rebellion and ensuring her successful integration as Senator Soruna she had partially neglected her duties as now acting Senator of Naboo. Thankfully, she was all too familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a Senator and began her day of reading and signing papers. Whilst the Senator had been granted a day free of meetings, the same pleasure had not been bestowed on Vader. He was again forced to attend an agonisingly long meeting with the chief admirals and officers during their debates for the authorisations of military weaponry. Vader sat listening as several of the dignitaries argued over insignificant matters. The Emperor had demanded he sit in on these meetings to help ensure the continued development of plans for the Empire's new greatest weapon the Death Star. Vader believed it all to be a lot of bantha poodoo. He sat and listened to these men squabble like children, and it infuriated him.

"We must come to a decision by the end of this meeting. The schematics of the death star have been completed by the architects and engineers and construction has already begun on the exterior of the station. I have been overseeing the progress currently and everything is on schedule". Tarkin announced arrogantly.

"It is essential that we fastrack all processes of the construction of this station. We should target for the station to be operational prior to the station's completion. With this weapon, all planets and the rebel alliance will bow at the feet of the Empire. We will be the richest and most powerful men in the galaxy", Captain Needa continued, unable to hide the pleasure in his words on his announcement of his anticipated accumulation of power.

Silencing the entire room Vader said "Don't be so pleased with the technological terror you are planning to create Needa. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the force".

Needa straightened his uniform surprised by the Dark Lord's comment but could not resist saying "Don't try and frighten us with your sorcerer's ways Vader. This station will make us all richer and more powerful men than you. And we will not need such devotions to the so-called religion you and the Emperor claim to follow. We are free men, taking leadership in this Empire, you are nothing but a sl….". The captain was unable to finish his sentence before he felt his windpipes being aggressively constricted. He had only seconds to regret his statement before being thrown against the wall of the room.

"Thank you for your contributions, Captain Needa". Vader stated before turning and departing the room swiftly. Vader walked quickly through the winding corridors of the Senate, intimidating many dignitaries as he passed them in the corridors. He had had enough of the Senate and politicians and wanted to leave immediately. He knew it would be a failure to leave Senator Soruna unattended in the Senate so decided he would send her home so he too could leave. He stormed down the main Senate offices before reaching Senator Soruna's office. Padmé's concentration was interrupted by her door opening abruptly, as she saw the menacing figure of Vader stood in her doorway.

Composing herself Padmé looked up from her reading and said, "Might I be of assistance Lord Vader?".

He paused for a minute before saying "Pack your things, Senator. You are leaving the Senate early today. Your pilot will meet us at the hangar bay to take you home".

Padmé was surprised by this, as she had not been informed, she would have to leave early and had plenty of work to still complete. "Lord Vader, if I can, I must contest to my early departure. I have a lot of work to do in the Senate before the meetings reconvene for the armoury bill in a few days' time". She replied.

The mechanical sound of Vader's breathing broke the silence between the two before Vader stated "I care not for your duties Senator. You are under my protection and I say we are leaving".

Infuriated by his arrogant condor Padmé stated, "So be it", before slowly packing her work bag to leave. She could sense Vader's impatience filling the room but did not care about the Dark Lord's feelings. If this was the only suffering, she could give him, she would bask in it while she could. When she finally finished meticulously packing her things and departed her office, she heard the door slam loudly behind her, as this time Vader strode off in front of her. She made little attempt to keep up with him and instead watched him from behind, curious to see how the masked monster walked, trying to assess whether he really was man or machine. Perhaps if she could unlock the mystery behind the identity of the infamous Darth Vader, she would be able to find a way to destroy him and the Emperor and bring an end to the Empire. Her thoughts were interrupted when she walked straight into a solid figure standing directly in her path. She was knocked back and stunned to see she had walked straight into Darth Vader. Humiliated by her move she said, "I apologise, Lord Vader, I was distracted by my thoughts and was not concentrating on where I was walking". The Dark Lord said nothing before turning and departing the hangar bay once Padmé met with her pilot. Red-faced and mortified Padmé embarked her ship, thankful she did not fall over following her unanticipated contact. She was shocked by how sturdy his form was, how strong and powerful he was to make her small frame feel even smaller against his towering physique.

Vader was shocked by the Senator walking into the back of him. Despite its insignificance, he was astounded how that ounce of physical contact had made him feel. Something about the Senator's proximity and presence felt so familiar. Vader pondered it was likely his mind-twisting what had been the closest physical contact he had had in nearly 8 years. 'Don't be so ridiculous' he told himself as he shook away the thoughts of the Senator from his mind. He had to admit that over the last few weeks something about her was making him increasingly curious. The Emperor believed she knew about Rebel Alliance operations, but Vader doubted this was true. She seemed young and likely not to be trusted with valuable information by the organisation's leaders. The Emperor believed her to be weak and naive and easy to manipulate, just as he had thought of Padmé all those years ago during his ascension to power, Vader pondered. Once again thoughts of the Senator had sent him down this dangerous path with thoughts of Padmé, torturous thoughts that were driving him increasingly insane. Right now, he had to focus on his mission to penetrate the walls of the Senator's mind. He wanted to complete the mission and get as far away from her as soon as possible. Whether she was killed mattered not to Vader, at least he would be rid of her and hopefully rid of the thoughts of Padmé. Vader returned to his establishments and decided that a strenuous training session would ease his distraction and draw him closer to the dark side.

Padmé arrived back at 500 Republica and immediately headed to the fresher to follow the same routine she did each day. The contacts she wore were increasingly irritating her eyes and she was finding the process of elaborate makeup application more and more tedious. She knew she wouldn't have to keep this façade up forever, and that once her job in the Senate was complete, she would be able to return to Naboo and the twins and be Padmé and the Black Widow again. Once she finished in the fresher, she headed to the kitchen to make herself some dinner. Thanks to Vader she still had work to complete and anticipated it would take her several hours. This upcoming bill was important for Naboo and Padmé knew she needed to commit to its development, but it was a challenge when she was living a triple life and trying to balance all her responsibilities. Once she had made herself some dinner she headed to her office and quickly recorded an audio message for the twins that she hoped they would receive before they went to bed. She then sat down and continued her work, the hours passing as she worked long into the night.

Following a vigorous training session, Vader returned to his room and had a quick shower. He was curious to see he had a message on his comm at this time and walked over to his desk to check it. He was surprised to see that the Emperor had attempted to contact him, so swiftly got dressed and headed to his communication centre in his establishments. When Vader entered the room, he input the Emperor's frequency and knelt down in submission before the hologram of his master appeared. "How may I serve you, my master?" Vader said as he saw the Emperor's picture appear. "I am interested to hear what information you have gathered from Senator Soruna. You have been her personal guard for several days now Vader, so I anticipate some promising news".

Vader paused before saying "Master, her mental walls appear to be very strong and due to my engagements in the Senate surrounding the Death Star construction I have little time to engage with the Senator to penetrate her mind". The Emperor was silent for a few seconds before saying "Vader, I am most disappointed with your apparent lack of progress. You know I hate to do this to you, but you must be punished, failure is not an option".

Vader knew the Emperor was lying. He took great pleasure in punishing his apprentice. It kept Vader weak and subordinate, and this was important because treachery is the way of the Sith. The Emperor used their powerful master-apprentice force connection to emit torturous images to his apprentice. The images were so vivid in Vader's mind they made him scream internally. Vader could see painful images of Padmé, of her suffering and dying as he had premonitions about when she was pregnant. He saw her suffering at the hands of the Emperor and finally, worst of all he saw her suffocating at his hand on the platform on Mustafar. Vader fell to his knees as the images crushed him. He hardly heard the words of the Emperor saying "Do not fail me again" as the transmission ended. Vader remained kneeling on the floor of the communication room for what felt like an eternity before the torturous images began to subside. Vader knew he would never be rid of the images of her. They would remain a stake in his heart forever, and it was the perfect ammunition for the Emperor to maintain his subservience. Hatred filled Vader, as he rose from the ground, his sith yellow eyes burning as he left the room. He would not fail, he would break the Senator, he would destroy her mind, and he would find out all she knew.

Vader staggered to his chambers, still overwhelmed by the images his master had omitted in his mind. He removed all his armour, to help calm himself down as he wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. Slowly, he walked out to his bed-chamber balcony to cool himself off, he hated himself for this weakness he had. There was not a second that passed, where he did not regret what he had done to his angel. All he had ever wanted to do was protect her, and he was even willing to sell his soul to do it. Whilst Anakin Skywalker was gone, consumed by Darth Vader, he could never deny the feelings he had for Padmé, and the love he would have for her until the day he died.

Padmé rubbed her eyes tiredly as she looked at her clock to see it was now the early hours of the morning. She knew if she was to make a reasonable commitment to these debates, she needed some rest. She placed her documents away on her desk and walked slowly over into bed before falling asleep quickly.

Sleep did not come to Vader that night, as he was plagued by the visions his master had imprinted in his mind. Vader didn't need that much sleep and had trained himself to function optimally off little or no rest. Unable to rest he headed to his office. He decided to work on a task the Emperor had set him following the meeting with the Officers regarding the Death Star. He had been tasked with reviewing the entire schematics of the space station to assess any weaknesses. Construction had begun and it was currently on schedule, but the Emperor was most anxious to have the monstrosity created as quickly as possible, because of the power and fear it would instil. Whilst the ability to destroy a planet did not frighten Vader, he knew it would amass panic amongst the Empire, and Palpatine would have to act carefully to argue its construction for the purposes of protection. Vader knew the Emperor and officers like Tarkin believed this technological terror would bring a sound end to the Rebel Alliance, but he believed it just might act as a catalyst to their continued rebellion. This was why it was so important to the Emperor that Vader inspects the schematics thoroughly. He wanted this weapon to be unbeatable and most importantly invincible against any threats from the Rebellion. Vader opened up the first section of the schematics and was overwhelmed by the volume of data he was going to have to go through. This would surely take him months to complete properly, even with his knowledge of mechanics and schematics. Vader only hoped his master would be more lenient with this mission than he had been regarding his interrogation of Senator Soruna.

As Vader started to focus on his analysis, his concentration was interrupted by an incoming call to his comm. He called it to his hand using the force and answered it. A transmission of one of his squadron leaders of the 501st battalion appeared who nodded in acknowledgement before saying "My Lord, I apologise for disturbing you at this hour, but there have been riots at the mines on Kessel, and there is fear this will spark a rebellion. We do not have enough troops stationed here to fight such riots for much longer. The Emperor has not been informed yet, as we were told to inform you first before disturbing his majesty".

Vader paused for a moment before saying "Yes, it is wise to not disturb him. There is pressing business I am attending to on Coruscant currently but if your fears of a Rebellion are just then I shall come and crush the scum myself. I will consult with the Emperor in the morning regarding this matter and we will reassess the severity of the riots and establish if my attendance is necessary".

"Yes, Lord Vader", the trooper replied before ending the transmission.

Vader was troubled by this. He knew the Emperor was aware of the spice mines on Kessel and cared little for the thousands of humanoids and other species it enslaved. If the slaves were rioting Vader gathered it was for a good reason. Having spent his whole life as a slave, Vader wished nothing more than to be able to destroy the continued ill-treatment of so many species. He cast his mind back to a time when he was a young boy on Tatooine, hoping desperately that Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn had come to free him and the other slaves in Mos Eisley. How he had been disappointed then and continued to be by the Jedi all through his life. Vader knew he would have to put any personal feelings aside and deal with the rioters. The Emperor could not be seen to allow such acts that threatened the peace of the Empire, and its potential to spark further rebellion was something they could not afford. The last thing the Rebel Alliance needed was any ammunition. Vader pondered on this news and lightly scanned some schematics before deciding to do some sabre training before going to the Senate for the day.

During his practice, Vader found that whilst he was physically fit and strong, mentally he was weakened by his master's punishment and struggled to complete his usual training routine. Frustrated at his weakness, Vader walked to his fresher to have a shower, before putting on his armour, suit and mask and flying to the Senate.


	6. Chapter 6 - Kessel Betrayal

Padmé awoke to the sun shining through brightly onto her face. She still felt exhausted having had little sleep last night, but she knew her attendance today was important. She got out of bed and followed her usual routine for the morning, applying her makeup, elaborate hairdo and placing her green contacts in. She rushed down some breakfast from the replicator before meeting her pilot to fly her to the Senate. Her typical routine continued as Vader met her in the Senate hangar as she disembarked her ship. He today walked by her side, making Padmé increasingly uncomfortable. Vader added to his frustration by being unable to get anything from the Senators mind he walked with her to her office. He wondered what it would take to break her walls, and knew his time was limited so soon he would be forced to use more drastic measures. Padmé walked into her office with all her papers ready for today's debate and sat down at her desk making final notes before the Senate was due for a meeting later on this morning. Vader departed and headed to the communications tower in the Senate and set up a direct link between the trooper he spoke to earlier in the morning and the Emperor.

The trooper appeared first and said "My Lord, Your Majesty, I am contacting you with regards to pressing matter in the spice mines on the planet Kessel. I spoke to Lord Vader earlier this morning regarding riots that have broken out in the mines and we are struggling to handle them with the number of troops we have stationed here".

The Emperor sat in silence listening to the trooper's report before saying "We cannot appear weak in times of Rebellion. We must crush them where they stand and show we will not tolerate any disruption to the Imperial order. Vader, you will go to Kessel immediately and destroy all the rioters. An example must be set. See to it that you are swift with your execution and return to Coruscant as quickly as possible to refocus on your current mission". The Emperor ended the transmission without saying anything else. The trooper then added, "I will send you our base co-ordinates for Kessel, My Lord, and we shall anticipate your imminent arrival". The trooper bowed before ending the transmission. Vader left the communications block, now aware of what his mission was. He would depart for Kessel as soon as he escorted the Senator back to the hangar at the end of the day, he would end the riots in the mines and ensure the termination of any rebellion instigators and then return to continue his mission of breaking the Senator.

Padmé sat in her pod in the Senate chambers as delegates passed points between them for debate. The senate had been going through what seemed like an endless cycle regarding the arms deal. Padmé had said her piece from Naboo's perspective and thus far, was relatively content with the anticipated outcome of the bill. It had been a long day and Padmé had had little sleep, so was keen for the debates to cease and her day to be over. The chief speaker raised his hand and made a brief summary of the debate today and the main point raised. He asked for a preliminary vote to be called to establish people's reception of the bill. Padmé cast her vote for her acceptance of the bill and was happy to see that she was part of the majority. Currently, the Senate was still a democracy, but it was agreed they would meet again to debate several articles that were contested by several different parties in the Senate. Padmé then rose from her seat as the Senate was adjourned and made her way back to her office down the minding Senate corridors. She was surprised to see her Office door was open and hoped it would be Bail, as she had not spoken to him in several days. She was then disappointed to hear the mechanised breathing of Darth Vader who was stood by her desk clearly waiting for her to return. He waited for her to walk towards her desk, as he circled around her office like a rancer would its prey.

"I am here to inform you, Senator, that I have been called on an urgent mission on the planet Kessel. I will depart tonight, and I do not anticipate being kept their too long. Until my return, I have assigned a small squadron of troops to your protection, and they have been made aware of the importance of their mission. You will be well protected I assure you". Vader stated, knowing it was important to maintain the façade of the need to protect the Senator following the attempted assassination.

Padmé could not help but be intrigued by Vader's mission on Kessel but kept her response neutral before replying "Thank you, Lord Vader, and I do hope your mission is fruitful. I shall pack my things and depart now so you can leave for your mission". Padmé hastily gathered all her documents into her bag and left her office with Vader. As per usual she was walked to the hangar bay where she met her pilot. She was full of anticipation and when she arrived back at her apartment she walked quickly to her room and located her encrypted comm device and input Obi-Wan's frequency. She knew she could have risked contacting Bail, as it was likely their standard communications were being watched. The most effective way to communicate this information was to tell Obi-Wan so he could inform the Rebel Alliance.

As usual, he picked up almost immediately before asking "Padmé, are you alright? I have not heard from you or Bail in several days, I have been gravely concerned". Padmé calmed herself before replying "Yes Obi-Wan I am fine; I have just been so busy, and it has been difficult trying to find a time when I can contact you undetected. But I call you because of a great matter of urgency. Darth Vader has just informed me that he has been called to a mission on Kessel. He is leaving tonight. If we arrange it, it will be a perfect opportunity for an ambush. We could destroy Vader".

Obi-Wan paused for a moment, processing this information before confirming "Padmé, are you sure that's where he says he is going?". Padmé responded "Yes, I am certain. I heard from a fellow Senator today that there have been some riots in the spice mines there. I suspect he may have been sent there by the Emperor to stop them. I don't think they station many troops out there, and with the distraction of the riots, this could the perfect chance to overwhelm and kill Vader".

"This is indeed an excellent opportunity Padmé. And I know the Rebellion will be most grateful for you bringing this piece of information to us. I shall leave you now to go and make some calls because if what you have reported is true, we need to act fast if we are to develop an effective plan". Obi-Wan replied with haste in his voice.

"Okay, Obi-Wan. I shall speak to you soon and please give my love to the twins and tell them I love them so much and I will be home as soon as I can. May the force be with you". Padmé replied smiling at the thought of the twins.

"You too Padmé. Please continue to take care of yourself and be mindful of who you talk to". Obi-Wan responded, before ending the transmission. Padmé sat back in her chair with a heavy sigh. She was content she had done all she could and would not have to wait to hear if the Rebellion were able to develop a plan to ambush Vader. This was a perfect opportunity and one that Padmé hoped would prove to be worth the disclosure of information. Padmé prepared for bed early, knowing now there was little she could do but wait and hear if the Alliance was successful. A heavy wave of tiredness washed over her, as the long working days and stress built, as she fell into a deep sleep.

Vader returned to his establishments to retrieve some supplies before heading for his transporter in the hangar bay below. He did not know how long he would be detained on Kessel and simply hoped the riots would be easily contained so he could return to his pressing mission here on Coruscant. Vader headed to his ship and input the coordinates for Kessel. He sat back in his chair before heading to a sleep pod to get some rest. He knew he would be needed immediately upon his arrival to the planet, so it was important he rested now because he was uncertain when he would next.

Whilst Vader's ship made its way towards Kessel, the Rebel Alliance were frantically pulling together all the necessary resources for an ambush on Kessel. The information the Black Widow had provided had given the Alliance an opportunity that they would likely never have again. If they were able to catch Vader by surprise and be gravely outnumbered, they could destroy him and leave the Empire weak without its second in command. The Alliance knew they had to make this opportunity count. All their best generals, troops and pilots had been pulled together, and the Tantive IV had entered hyperspace heading for Kessel's atmosphere. They anticipated based on Vader's estimated departure on from Coruscant that he would arrive on Kessel, several standard hours before them. This would give the rebels the advantage of surprise, with Vader being distracted by quashing the riots of the miners, he would be more vulnerable to their attacks.

Vader had gotten little rest when he was awoken by his ships navigation system informing him the ship was coming out of hyperspace towards the planet Kessel. He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he donned his mask, armour and suit and called his lightsabre to his hilt. He sent a message to the commander of the Kessel squadron informing him of his imminent arrival, stating he needed a situational brief immediately. Vader's ship flew through the clouds surrounding the planet. As he broke through the clouds, he guided his ship towards the Imperial base on the northern hemisphere. His ship landed at the base, as he set his ventilator adapter to prepare him for the warm climate outside. He was greeted by several troopers as he disembarked his ship and was taken inside to the base for a briefing with the commander.

"What is the current situation commander?", Vader asked as the commander nodded in acknowledgement to him.

"My Lord, the riots are still on-going in many of the mines. We have tried to control them, and many humans and Wookie slaves have been killed in an attempt to control them. I am afraid that if it is not stopped soon it will only get worse, and we must control this rebellion before it sparks any hope". The trooper stated informatively.

"I will go into the mines and end these riots. We must make an example demonstrating we will not tolerate any instigators who threaten the peace of the Imperial system. We must show no mercy in times of Rebellion. The Empire is in a delicate state and we must show we are strong in our stance against any rebellion." Vader said. He turned to the trooper indicating for him to direct him towards the entrance to the mines. Truthfully, Vader disliked the idea of killing all the slaves in the mines. It had been a long time since Vader called upon his moral compass. He had been a brutal monstrous killing machine for many years. He had lost any concept or morality since Padmé had died. He did not care for the lives of the miners and simply needed to do his masters bidding and bring an end to the riots.

As Vader made his way down to the mines, the Alliance were coming out of hyperspace to reach Kessel's atmosphere. Two squadrons of fighters had been engaged for the attack, and they would escort a cruiser down to the planet, where several hundred rebel troops could attack the Imperial base, overwhelm the stormtroopers and ambush Vader. Meanwhile, Vader entered the spice mines, overwhelmed by the number of slaves he saw. He was called by the trooper over to a quadrant that had been taken over by the rioters. Vader ignited his lightsabre, and very few were able to even process Vader's arrival before he cut them down, silencing them all. He made short work of the rioters, as he was called to a mine lower down in the planet's core to handle a group of humans and wookies that had taken over an Imperial watchtower. Several had stolen the trooper's weapons and began firing at Vader as he approached them. He deflected their shots easily and ran towards the group, slicing them with his lightsabre and crushing their throats with the force. Several wookies headed straight for him as he engaged with several human miners who attempted to overpower him with their numbers. Despite the obvious height advantage, Vader was able to concentrate on the force and use his connection to overpower them with his outstanding saber skills. Vader was confident an example had been set, as any other rioters had ceased, not wishing to share the same grim fate as their fellow miners.

Vader called for one of the troops and said, "Have these bodies all removed and burned, and inform the mining colony we will need more miners here".

The trooper nodded in response before hastily responding "My Lord. The Base above ground has been ambushed by Rebel fighters. We are fighting them off as best as we can, but they have caught us by surprise, and we are gravely outnumbered".

Realising the immediate threat this posed Vader recovered himself and headed for the base, with a small squadron of troopers with him. When Vader arrived, he was shocked to see how many rebel troops there were, they had already managed to destroy nearly a whole squadron of troops. He knew they had likely taken advantage of the empire's distraction with the riots, but he would have to save his evaluations for later, as he called on the dark side of the force with his blood-red saber in his hand. Upon igniting his saber he drew a high volume of firepower onto himself. He worked hard to deflect all the shots as he killed many rebels who attempted to get close to him. The intensity of the assault began to build as Vader became increasingly swamped by the firepower of the rebels and looked around to notice that there was a rapidly decreasing number of troopers around to defend their position with him. Vader felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder, as he registered he had been hit by a rebel firing from a distance. The pain intensified as he had to continue deflecting shots and using the force to throw away rebel blasters and force choke them. The second wave of pain hit him when he received another shot to his forearm.

Vader soon realised his troops and himself were greatly outnumbered and overwhelmed. As he continued to advance on the rebel troops, he called on his force abilities. The rocks and mining structure above them began to shake as parts started to fall to the ground, crushing rebel soldiers. As large pieces of rock from above continue to fall, Vader used the opportunity as a distraction to fight through the rebels and escape to his ship. Vader was ashamed at the means of his getaway. Never had he had to retreat like a coward from a fight. But he assessed he would never come out of that battle alive, and right now the Emperor needed him alive. Vader's ship broke through Kessel's humid atmosphere and he set his coordinates to Coruscant and initiated the jump to hyperspace before he could be engaged by enemy fighters.

Anger filled Vader as he sat at his ship's console. He could not understand how the Alliance had managed to ambush him and his men at the mining base. Whilst it wasn't a secret that the Empire had a base near the mines on Kessel, Vader was certain that this has been an opportunistic ambush. The Alliance weren't just there by chance, they had gone with a very particular purpose, to kill him. Without Vader, the Empire would lose its second in command, the Emperor's right-hand man and the commander of the 501st battalion. Vader smiled under his helmet as he realised that the Alliance had failed in his mission to kill him. He winced in pain as he realised, they had been successful in wounding him, their blaster shots penetrating his armour. He could use the force to heal his wounds once he returned to Coruscant, for now, he would just have to tolerate the increasingly intense pain. Vader knew he had to report to the Emperor immediately and inform him of what had transpired on his mission. He knew he master would be most displeased at the result and would likely send Vader on another mission off-world to find the traitor and bring an end to the Rebellion once and for all.

Vader landed on Coruscant and made his way to his master's senate chambers. He could feel his masters calling through the force and knew the likely impact his result was going to have. Vader approached the immense double doors, which was protected by two armed red guards. They nodded their head in acknowledgement to the Sith and the doors opened. He composed himself, straightened his posture and walked firmly into the room, not wanting to show any sign of weakness in front of his master.

"Lord Vader, what is your report on the mines at Kessel". The Emperor asked, remaining seated in his large chair at the end of the vast room.

Vader got down on one knee and said "My Master, the riots on Kessel have been quashed, but the base was ambushed by several squadrons of rebel fighters. We were unable to fight back as we had insufficient numbers. I was forced to retreat before I was followed by Alliance fighters waiting out Kessel Hyperspace. It appears that the Alliance was aware of my presence on the planet and saw an opportunity for my elimination" Vader stated matter of factly.

The Emperor appeared stern before saying "How could this happen, Vader? How could the rebels overpower you and your troops? Their numbers could not have been that significant to force your retreat. You ran away like a weak fool", he spat.

"Master, we were outnumbered 50 to 1. Many troopers were occupied tackling the riots in the mines and there is only one battalion located on the planet, as many were removed and stationed back here or on another planet as you requested. I believe that the Alliance were made aware of my mission and commissioned all their available forces to the planet to kill me". Vader stated in his defence, knowing his master was becoming increasingly angry.

"Enough". The Emperor shouted as he stood from his chair. "I am hearing excuses, Vader. Whilst your failure is an embarrassment to the Empire we must focus on a more pressing matter. Someone informed the Alliance of your mission to Kessel and it is your mission to find out who this traitor is and destroy them. It is your top priority to find and interrogate the traitor for what they have done, find out all they know and then eliminate them. We cannot let this rat continue to feed information to the Alliance. Find them, Vader. Don't fail me again my servant". The Emperor threatened.

"Yes, my master". Vader stated. He rose from his knees, knowing he was lucky to have not been tortured for his failure. But he had more important things to concern himself with. He had to find this traitor and make the suffer. Vader turned and left the room, leaving the Emperor to brood on this latest revelation of treachery. He would not let anything destroy the Empire he had built.

Vader knew that very few of his men were aware of his mission to Kessel. He had been called there on short notice because of the riots and it was not necessary for many to informed of his departure from Coruscant. Fuelled by anger, Vader left the Senate and set a course to meet the Executor. Vader needed to find the traitor and fast, so he needed to interrogate all who were aware of his mission to Kessel. As his ship took off from the Senate hangar, Vader set his coordinates for the Executor and set his comms frequency to contact Captain Piett.

The Captain picked up almost immediately and answered, "Yes Lord Vader".

"Expect my arrival aboard the Executor in 3 standard hours. I have transmitted a list to your comm, and I want you to gather all these troopers and officers ready for interrogation before I arrive Captain". Vader stated, checking his list of suspects was correct before transmitting it.

Captain Piett nodded in acknowledgement of receipt of the list and replied "It will be done, my Lord. We shall anticipate your arrival in 3 hours".

Vader ended the communication and sat at his flight console pondering recent events. He had not yet had time to heal his shoulder, since being shot on Kessel. He got up from his chair and headed to the small chamber on the ship. There he could draw on the dark side of the force to heal himself. He needed to be at maximum strength with the force if he was going to be successful in apprehending the traitor.

The first to meet their end at Vader's increasingly impatient hand was Commander Fox. Following the Empire Day Ball, Vader has suspected the Commander of having a loose tongue when he found himself surrounded by an excessive volume of alcohol and women willing to throw themselves at him, making him feel important. Vader sniggered at the pettiness of it all. How the Commander's ignorance would now cost him his life. He confessed to nothing and preached he was entirely unaware of Vader's mission on Kessel. Vader was now beyond the point of caring about the truth, he wanted revenge for his injuries, and he didn't tolerate the laxness of some of his more senior troopers. With one subtle twist, Vader snapped the Commander's neck with the force. He turned and left the cell, heading to the next one, hoping for a more fruitful conversation. "Clean up this mess trooper", Vader ordered, as he turned and departed, his all-black uniform following behind him.

The next trooper lasted even less time in interrogation than Commander Fox. He too claimed he was unaware of the mission and had been off duty during the time of the ambush on Kessel. Vader believed he may have been telling the truth, but in the trooper's vulnerability, he penetrated his mind and saw nothing but hatred for the commander he served. This man was not loyal to the Empire he served, and it would be better off without him. Vader swiftly choked the final breath out of the trooper, before uncaringly departing the cell.

The final candidate for interrogation was Trooper CT-2704. Captain Piett had summoned him for interrogation as well. In truth, the trooper had slipped his mind. "Who did you tell about my mission Trooper?" Vader questioned, as he penetrated his mind, torturing him with horrifying images in an attempt to break him quicker.

"No one My Lord". The trooper replied. "I never had the chance to contact anyone because I was stationed outside Senator Soruna's office the whole time as she needed additional protection when you left My Lord", he added. Suddenly, Vader ceased his mental probing. Vader made a swift and horrifying realisation. He had informed Senator Soruna of his immediate departure to Kessel. It was her who had informed the Alliance who then ambushed and nearly killed him. Rage filled Vader as he headed for his ship on the landing bay. How had he forgotten about the Senator? His suspicions about her and her friends in the senate were likely true, they were part of the rebel alliance. Vader wanted to have the pleasure of interrogating her himself. He wanted to break her, make her suffer, then when she was only begging for death would he kill her. He decided to keep this discovery from the Emperor until he was certain. He could not fail his master again, and if he was to be wrong, his unlawful arresting of the Senator would likely create huge uproar and draw undesired attention to the situation. But he was certain he was correct. There had been something unsettling about the Senator since he had first encountered her at the Empire Day Ball, and now he knew why. It was destiny, he was meant to destroy her.


	7. Chapter 7 - Interrogation

Padmé sat at her desk, drumming her fingers nervously on the desk. She had heard nothing from anyone since her initial contact with the Alliance to inform them of Vader's mission. But Vader had not met her at the platform this morning, and still had not arrived at the Senate. Could it be? Was he dead? Had the ambush been successful and they had killed him. Was the man who murdered the love of her life dead? Suddenly, Padmé's thoughts turned on her as the more realistic outcome dawned on her. If Vader had survived his encounter with the Alliance, he would surely seek out the traitor who informed the Empire. Padmé knew Vader would not have informed many of his swift departure, and there was no doubt he already had his suspicions about her, given her association with Bail and Mothma, who had long been under the watchful eye of the Emperor and Vader. Padmé didn't know what to do. She didn't know whether to contact Obi-Wan to find out what had happened, she didn't know if she should contact the twins. Padmé knew if something was to happen to her, it would not be long before the Alliance discovered her demise, and who was responsible.

Vader sat in the cockpit of his cruiser and drummed his gloved fingers against the instrument panel. He was almost certain the Senator had divulged information about his mission. This was his chance to succeed in his mission to thwart the Alliance. He would find out everything she knew, enough to take down the heart of the Rebellion, and the Emperor would continue to rule the galaxy, with Vader at his side. Vader couldn't help but shake a feeling through the force. There was a degree of uncertainty in the feeling that confused Vader. He knew he had to act fast before the Alliance got to her, or the Emperor. There was something about her that made Vader want her all to himself, and he wasn't sure why. The heightening uncertainty unsettled Vader, so he reached for his commlink. He dialled the frequency for one of his squad commanders based in the Senate and requested he detain Senator Soruna for questioning and take her down to the cells below the Senate. He requested the commander do this with a great degree of discretion, to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. The commander informed Vader he would do so immediately and process her for interrogation before waiting for Vader's arrival.

Padmé was ripped from her ruminations when her office door flew open, and she saw a small squad of armed troopers stood in the doorway. One trooper stepped forward and said "Please don't cause a scene, Senator. Come quietly and you will not be harmed.".

Padmé stood from her chair slowly. Thoughts were racing through her mind. She knew why they were here. She was surprised Vader was not here to apprehend her himself. She knew wherever she was going he would be there. She was going to be taken to the gates of hell and would surely meet her end at the hands of Darth Vader. She walked across her office and was surprised to see she wasn't shackled by the troopers. Instead, they created a tight formation around her as she was escorted down the hallway quickly and quietly. A giant pit began to form in Padmé's stomach. She knew she was going to be interrogated, and she was confident her mental walls would remain strong. She would not betray the Rebellion. She had not spent the last 8 years helping to fight against the Empire, risking her life, for it to have all been in vain now. The walk down to the detention cells passed quickly, as Padmé found herself inside a high-security cell. The room was dark and cold and held only a metal bench. She sat on the slab of metal, fighting back the tears that threatened to consume her. She was not afraid to be tortured or even to die. She feared what would happen to the twins when she died. They would now have no parents. She knew that Obi-Wan had always promised to raise them and protect them and teach them the ways of the force, and she was confident Bail and Mon would help too. But she never wanted that for them. She wanted to always be there for the twins. She wanted to see Leia grow up to be a strong and beautiful young woman. She wanted to see Leia become a politician and fight for the injustices that existed the way Padmé had. She wanted Luke to grow up and become a Jedi, like his father before him. She wanted to see Luke grow up to be the man she knew as Anakin Skywalker. She wanted to have a way to see him again, through her children.

Again, her thoughts were broken as her cell door opened and a trooper entered, followed by a crawling black droid. She had been around long enough to know that was an interrogation droid. She calmly remained neutral as the trooper engaged the droid and issued it with a data chip, clearly with instructions on. Padmé couldn't help but be a little surprised to see the droid. She had assumed that Vader would have wanted nothing more than to torture her for all she knew. Everyone knew it was his mission to destroy the Rebel Alliance, and surely, he would see this as his best chance to do so. Padmé clenched her fists tightly as she prepared for the pain to come. She didn't know exactly what to expect, but she focused on ensuring her mental shields were up and strong. She was Padmé Amidala Skywalker, and she would fight to the very end.

Vader exited his ship and was met by the squad commander in the hangar bay who was ready to brief him on the arrest of Senator Soruna. "We have placed an interrogation droid in with her My Lord. We are certain she will crack and tell us all she knows", the trooper reported as he struggled to keep up with Vader's long and increasingly fast-paced strides as they headed to the detention cells.

"What is the status of her arrest, commander". Vader asked.

"Currently it is undisclosed My Lord. We are certain that if she confesses, we will have a cause for her being a political threat. If she does not confess, we can arrest her on grounds of treason, until she does" the trooper stated.

"I am certain the Senator will reveal her intentions in due course", the Dark Lord retorted as they walked down the dark hallway towards the cells.

Another trooper met them in the information cell, saluting to his commander before saying "My Lord. The Senator has been in with the interrogation droid for nearly an hour. We have been unable to get anything out of her. What are your orders Sir?" the trooper asked.

Vader watched the holoscreen in front of him, which was projecting the inside of the cell. The senator was sat in the corner of the room, her legs curled up into her body, leaning against the wall. He knew she was near breaking point and decided he would weaken her even further before penetrating her mind and ripping her brain apart.

"Intensify the interrogation. She will break soon; I can feel it". Vader replied.

The trooper entered the commands into the screen connected to the data chip of the interrogation droid. Minutes later the Senator was screaming in pain, fighting against the images being projected in her mind. The drug she had been injected with was making her susceptible to the droids' suggestions. Her body was on fire and the torture felt endless. She was clinging to the last bit of hope and light she had. Obi-Wan had taught her well, as she fought against the drug as best she could. The pain was unbearable, but she could not break. Her brain on fire, she felt herself begin to slip out of consciousness. As Vader and the trooper watched from the screen Vader commanded "Have the droid finish its session. I wish to speak to the Senator myself".

The faint sound of the cell door opening and closing awoke Padmé from her lucid state. She could only see the blurry outline of the interrogation droid, who now appeared to be significantly higher up in the air. It was only when Padmé began to concentrate on the dark figure that she heard the terrifying sound of mechanical breathing. Darth Vader was in her cell, and he had finally come. Padmé was content she had conceded no information so far, and she would continue to hold on until the end came. Padmé pondered the irony that both her and Anakin had met their end at the hands of Darth Vader.

"Impressive. Most impressive". The Dark Lord began. "I have seen very few people fight the drugs and interrogation for as long as you did Senator".

Padmé gathered all of her last strength and rose from her foetal position on the cold stone floor. In her last minutes, she would not remain in a weak and vulnerable position in front of Vader. She focused on the large figure in front of her. She saw her blurry reflection in his helmet and the large chest and shoulder panels that covered his upper body. Her eyes were drawn to 2 puncture wounds on his armour, one on his shoulder plate and one on his arm. Deciding to cease her final few minutes she said, "I see that even the great Darth Vader is not blaster proof".

Infuriated by her candour Vader held out his gloved hand, and Padmé felt her neck tighten as breathing became more difficult. He replied "I may not be blaster proof Senator, but I am stronger than anyone you have ever met. Now, you will die at my hand. But you can make it less painful if you tell me who you told about my departure to Kessel and what you know about the Rebel Alliance".

Padmé felt her throat constrict as words became almost impossible. She remembered how Anakin had used the force to hold her in a force choke on Mustafar. She had begged him to stop, to save her and the twins. He had only let go when Obi-Wan had pressed him to stop. She knew he was not himself that day. She still loved him, and now would be reunited with him. She faintly responded, "Go to hell", as the hold lifted her feet off the ground.

Vader actively penetrated her mind, knowing she was at her weakest. He saw insignificant memories and thoughts, but despite the torture, her mental walls remained strong. Enraged by her resolution to not betray the Alliance he released his grip on her as her limp body fell to the floor gasping. Vader couldn't help but feel a sense of resistance in the force, something pulling him away from his intention to kill the Senator. He had only ever felt that feeling once before, and that was on the platform on Mustafar when he was choking Padmé. But he reflected that even that had not been enough to save her or their unborn child.

As tears fell down Padmé's cheeks, she knew this was the end. She felt pride that she had not given in to the torture and that the secrets of the Rebel Alliance were safe. She was confident the twins would be looked after, but her heart ached to have not been able to say goodbye. As Padmé prepared for her imminent Death, Vader raised his hand, lifting the Senator off the ground, and constricting her airway again. "Any last words Senator?" Vader asked. Padmé kept the twins locked within the confines of her mind, knowing she needed to keep them safe. But she could not resist her dying thought being of the man she loved; Anakin Skywalker. Padmé remained silent but she closed her eyes and said to herself, "Anakin, I love you". Padmé's words echoed in Vader's mind as clearly as though she had said them aloud. Struggling to maintain composure he realised his force choke. Padmé fell to the ground, too weak to support her frail body on the cold floor. Why had he released her? Why was she alive right now?

Padmé's confusion was extinguished when Vader's mechanical breathing was haltered by him saying, "Padmé". Vader swiftly turned and left the cell. He couldn't believe what had just happened. Why had Senator Soruna thought of Anakin in her dying moments? They had never even met before. Vader knew his head was blocking the true reason. The only person who loved Anakin enough to think of him in her last moments was Padmé. But Padmé was dead, the Emperor had told him she and their unborn child had died at his hand. Having retreated to another cell, Vader felt his anger crash down on the room. The interrogation droid exploded under the pressure of the force tremors, and the window in the cell door shattered into thousands of pieces.

Padmé inched herself to lean against the cell wall. Vader had said her name. How did Vader know it was her? She had kept her identity a secret for 8 years, with only a handful of people knowing she was still alive. Did he somehow know about her marriage to Anakin? Could he be seeking his revenge by killing Anakin Skywalker's wife years after killing him? So many questions raced through Padmé's semi-conscious mind. She had mentally prepared herself for death and now she was faced with wondering how Vader knew she was Padmé.

Unable to resist not knowing for any longer, Vader returned to Padmé's cell. She was still crouched on the ground, clearly trying to gather her strength. Vader had always thought that if this moment came, he would know what to say. But he had never found himself so lost for words. He started with "Padmé, I can't believe you are alive. I have mourned your death, for all these years. I believed I had killed you". Vader took a step towards Padmé in an attempt to help her up from her weakened position.

"Get away from me you monster", Padmé screamed. "You have killed thousands of people, you have tortured me and you, you killed my husband. I hate you", Padmé retorted, tears burning her cheeks as they streamed down her face. Vader was momentarily confused before thinking to himself 'she doesn't know'. He then replied

"No Padmé. It is me. I am Anakin Skywalker. I am your husband; I am the man you married". Vader attempted to take another step closer to Padmé, realising what a shock this must be to her.

Padmé's breathing started to become heavier, as she forced herself to stand up, to be closer to the masked monster in front of her. She could not believe what he had just said. Was it possible? Had Anakin become Darth Vader? She couldn't and wouldn't believe it. She had mourned for the death of her husband; it had changed her life forever. She had lost the love of her life, and she had believed it was at the hands of Vader. She was so broken by his words; the tears were now uncontrollable, and she clutched at her stomach unable to control the pain of it all.

Pushing through the pain and the tears Padmé screamed "No, I don't believe you. You are not Anakin Skywalker. You are not the man I married. You are not the man I loved. Anakin could never have done such barbaric things. Anakin could not have killed thousands of people and tortured men until near death. I would rather him be dead than be you".

Processing her words, Vader feels her immense pain travelling through the force and knows this is something that will take her a long time to process. Vader still couldn't believe Padmé was standing in front of him, she was alive. She looked different with the contacts and hair and makeup, but she was here, and he would do anything to protect her. Vader realised she would now be in great danger. If the Emperor was to find out she was alive, he would certainly kill her, and Vader could not let that happen, not when he had just been reunited with her again.

"Padmé, I want to take you to my establishments here on Coruscant. I want to protect you. I won't let any harm come to you". Vader said as softly as he could, trying to reassure her.

Overwhelmed by the torture she had endured and this revelation, Padmé collapsed on the floor. With his force enhanced reflexes, Vader reached her and caught her head in his hand before it hit the ground, cradling her in his arms. He checked her immediate vitals and knew he needed to get her back to his establishments where he had a private medical facility. He reached for his private comm and contacted C3PO. Within seconds Vader heard the droid reply with "What can I do for you master Vader?"

"I need you to come to the Senate detention cells, bring the ship through the underground hangar. I need you to have the medical staff briefed that you will be bringing a young woman there for treatment. You must do everything you can to save her, understood. I will join you there as soon as I am able". Vader instructed the droid.

"Yes master", the droid replied.

After waiting for the droid in the hangar bay. Vader carried Padmé's unconscious body to the ship and placed her carefully on board. "Who is this, My Lord?", C3PO asked curiously. Vader paused and then replied "It is Padmé 3PO, and you need to do all you can to save her. I will see you shortly". Without saying another word Vader disembarked the ship and headed back to the detention cell. He knew he needed to ensure that no one would become aware of what had transpired here, as Padmé's identity could not be compromised. He had no choice but to kill the two troopers who were working in the cell. He couldn't help but feel a change in his behaviour. He usually revelled in the torture and murder of his victims, but this time he just wanted to make their deaths swift, so he could return to Padmé.


	8. Chapter 8 - Scars

Walking through his establishments, Vader realised he couldn't even remember his journey from the Senate. He was so overwhelmed and confused by the events that had transpired in the last few hours. Somehow Padmé was alive, and he knew he would do everything in his power to ensure she was safe forever, he could not lose her again. As he walked into the medical suite, he was greeted by a medical droid who had been caring for Padmé. She was still unconscious on the medical bed, as several machines around her monitored her condition.

"What is her status?", Vader asked the droid, who moved to join him by the side of Padmé's bed.

"My Lord, she has experienced a severe amount of physical and mental trauma. We have been able to supply bacta patches to her wounds, but I'm afraid we will have to further establish her mental condition once she awakes. I anticipate it will take a considerable amount of time for her to heal from such an ordeal", the droid reported.

Not responding to the droid Vader couldn't help but be completely transfixed by his wife in front of him. Her makeup had been removed, and Vader admired how much she still looked the same, despite the time that had passed. He reminisced the way her lips still looked perfect, and her skin was silky smooth. She was perfect and he could not believe she was alive. But Vader knew the worst was yet to come. Padmé was now in danger from the Emperor. If he found out she was alive, the Emperor would kill her, knowing she was the tie to the now destroyed Anakin Skywalker. Things had changed, he had changed. He was no longer the same man, and he didn't look the same. But Vader knew despite all of this it would never change the way he felt about her, the way the love he had for her consumed him, and always had and always would. But what if she didn't feel the same way about him? What if Padmé could no longer love the man he had become. All those years ago on Mustafar, she had pleaded for him to run away with her and raise their child together. He had dismissed her and worse nearly killed her. How could Padmé still love him after what he had done? Even now, the newest memory she had of him was him torturing her and choking her again. How was he going to recover their relationship from this? How was he going to be able to show her how much he loved her? There was not a day that went by where he did not regret what he had done. He had committed himself to a life of misery and pain to try and punish himself. And what of their child? If Padmé had survived maybe so had their child? But if it had where were they now? Surely Padmé would not be risking her life working for the Rebellion if she had a child. He knew this was all things they needed to talk about once Padmé was awake and recovered.

Suddenly Vader felt a tremor through the force. He knew his master was connecting to him. He wanted to meet with him in the Senate, likely to establish the status of his mission regarding the suspected traitors. Vader didn't want to leave Padmé, but he knew if he did not it could raise suspicion, and he had to do all that was necessary to keep Padmé safe.

"Droid, inform C3PO I have had to return to the Senate to meet with the Emperor. If the Senator awakens while I am away, be sure all of her needs are met, and she receives the best possible care. Give her anything she wants". Vader said, as he exited the medical suite and headed to the hangar to meet his master. He knew he needed to close his mind off from all thoughts of Padmé. As always, the Emperor would try and probe his mind, more because he was worried Vader wanted to overthrow him. But Vader needed to be careful, he had to play his cards right in order to keep the Emperor calm.

Vader arrived back at the Senate not long after, and he headed straight to Palpatine's office. The Senate was quiet, as it was late evening many had retired for the day. Vader walked down the corridor which lead to his master's office. The door was manned by two red guards, who immediately straightened up upon seeing him. They nodded in acknowledgement to him and opened the doors. He strode across the room towards his master, who was sat waiting at his desk. Vader bowed in front of his master who said, "Rise, my friend, tell me. What has become of the traitors of the Empire?".

Vader rose from his stance and replied "I apprehended them, my master. They were interrogated and tortured and the rats have been found and exterminated. The Empire will continue to grow in strength, with no tolerance for traitors".

The Emperor smiled and responded, "Excellent work Lord Vader. To reward your efficient effort, take a couple of days rest. It appears you sustained injuries on Kessel. Take some time to recover and reignite your hatred for the rebellion upon your return".

"Yes, My Master, thank you", Vader said. He then turned and left the room, his dark cloak following his swiftly departing figure. Truthfully, in amongst all of the chaos Vader had forgotten he was injured at all. He had had little time to process what had happened on Kessel, since his priority was finding the traitor, and then had been shifted to Padmé. He knew he could heal himself with the force, but right not returning to Padmé was his priority.

Padmé awoke and was instantly blinded by the bright lights inside the medical suite. Seeing she was gaining consciousness the medical droid approached her and said, "Take it easy my lady, you have been through some intense trauma. We have healed you with bacta, and with rest and recovery I anticipate you will recover back to optimal health".

Once Padmé's vision had become more focused, she sat up on the medical bed and asked, "Where am I?"

"In the private medical suite inside Lord Vader's establishments my lady. I have been instructed to be of service to you however you desire until my master returns", the droid responded. Seconds later C3PO walked into the room and broke the silence by saying "Miss Padmé, I cannot tell you how much it blesses my circuits that you are alive. After all these years, it is a miracle, my lady".

Padmé smiled at the droid, remembering all the times 3PO had been there for her, during the Clone Wars after Anakin gifted him to her, and how he was often her only form of companionship whilst Anakin was away for all of that time. Realising she would no doubt see him eventually Padmé cleared her throat and asked, "Where is he Threepio, where is Anakin?".

C3PO knew Padmé was going to refer to his master as Anakin. After all, that was who she knew him to be. But he was afraid that she would find he had changed far beyond the man he was 8 years ago. Be he was grateful to his master and served him well, and he hoped that Miss Padmé's return could save his master and bring him back from the dark side.

"He is at the Senate currently my Lady. He was requested there by the Emperor. I am uncertain when he will return. But he instructed me to be of service in any way I can. Would you like me to show you to your quarters my Lady?", the droid asked, anticipating she likely wanted to be free of the medical gown and into a more comfortable location

"Yes, please 3PO, I would be very grateful for a shower and to get out of this gown", Padmé replied as she turned her legs over the end of the bed and stood up slowly. She felt herself wobble as she stood and knew that the effects of the last 24 hours would likely continue to affect her. But she was determined to have a shower and feel more like herself again.

C3PO escorted Padmé to the guest chambers and informed her that he would bring back some suitable clothing for her to wear in the meantime. Padmé thanked the droid and headed to the large fresher, attached to the bed-chamber. She slowly took off her clothes and stepped into the shower. As the warm water flowed down her body, she could not help but feel like the water was weighing her down. Amongst the streams of the shower, Padmé felt tears escape her eyes as she realised the weight, she felt from the water was the mass of emotions beginning to crash down on her. Anakin was alive, and he was Darth Vader. Anakin had not been killed by Vader on Mustafar, as Obi-Wan had told her, but instead became him. The man she loved and married had become the very thing she had spent 8 years fighting to destroy. Her heart ached with pain. He had committed all of these atrocious crimes, killing hundreds if not thousands of people, and yet she still loved him. Anakin had strangled her on Mustafar, convinced she had betrayed him to Obi-Wan, and yet she still loved him. Anakin had on that day nearly killed her and their unborn children, throwing away all he had, and yet she still loved him. That was what hurt her the most, that despite all he had done, she still loved him. Padmé had died that day that Anakin had, she was broken beyond repair, but had continued to live for the twins. But now they had been reunited, and Padmé wanted to bring Anakin back to the light. She had failed that day on Mustafar, but she would not fail him again. But there was so much they needed to talk about, so many things that needed to be said. Would he ask about the twins, and what would she tell him? Obi-Wan had warned her of the danger of the Emperor finding out about the twins. He would know how powerful in the force they could be and would train them to be Sith's, like their father before them, and she could not let that happen. What if Anakin didn't love her anymore? What if turning to the dark side and believing her dead had meant he had lost his feelings for her. The increasing degree of uncertainty made Padmé sick, as she stepped out of the shower, dried herself off and put on a robe. She found C3PO had left some things on the bed for her, including a hairbrush. Padmé had always brushed her hair to relax and destress, so she picked up the brush and walked over to the chamber balcony.

Vader had returned to his establishments to discover Padmé had been discharged from the medical unit, and C3PO had taken her to the guest chambers. He felt his heart racing as he walked briskly towards the guest quarters. He was unsure of what he was going to say, but all he knew was that he had to see her. He entered the chambers, seeing it was dark inside. Despite all their years apart, he felt her presence immediately, it shining like a beacon directing him to the balcony outside. There he saw her standing against the balcony looking out at the Coruscanti sky brushing her now shorter, but still beautiful hair. Vader reflected that the last time she did this was when she was pregnant with their child. If only he had known what was to come, the dreams that would plague him, and the lengths he would go to, to stop them from becoming true, as they did with his mother. What had happened to their child, Vader wondered?

Padmé knew he was stood there. Despite not being force sensitive they had always seemed to have that connection where she could feel his presence too. But she no longer needed that, the terrifying sound of his mechanical breathing informed her of his presence instead. Neither knew what to say, as Padmé remained faced away looking out at the sky. Vader did not want to step any closer, unsure of how Padmé would react, or indeed how he would react if he got any closer. Padmé had thought she was ready to see him and speak to him. She thought she had decided that she would stand by him and be the one to save him, but right now it was all too painful for her. The memories of the past and the last day were too painful for her to entertain the prospect of talking to him. The man standing behind her was not the man she married, and she wasn't sure he was the man she loved.

Deciding to break the intense silence Vader said, "Padmé, I …"

Snapping in response to his mechanical voice Padmé retorted, "No. I can't do this right now. I cannot speak to you like this. You stand there claiming to be the man I married, the man I loved. But all I see is the man that has caused tyranny across the galaxy, and earlier today was about to end my life, and not for the first time. Please, leave me", she added for emphasis of her heartache.

Vader had no words in response to her. He knew all she had said was true, but he couldn't help but be painfully disappointed. He nodded in acknowledgement of her statement and left the room. How could he be so foolish? Had he really expected to walk in there as Vader and for her to run into his arms as though it was 8 years ago. He knew he needed to give Padmé time to heal. He needed to prove to her that he still loved her, that he had spent the last 8 years in complete torture knowing what he had done to her. He wanted to take his mask off and show her that he was still Anakin Skywalker and take her gorgeous face in his hands and soft lips passionately.

Several tears rolled down Padmé's cheeks as she turned away from the balcony. She knew that Vader had left as soon as had asked. She thought she was ready, but she wasn't. She needed time to heal and process. But she couldn't help but be curious. If he was Darth Vader, why did he save her? It was Anakin Skywalker who loved and was married to Padmé, not Vader. What did Anakin look like? Was there a reason he wore the mask? What had happened on Mustafar between Anakin and Obi-Wan if he had survived? The desire within Padmé burned for answers. But she knew she needed to wait, she needed time to think. Because once she decided to let Vader into her life, there was no going back. She would have to commit to loving Vader in order to get Anakin back.

Vader returned to his own quarters and frustrated removed his mask and threw it onto his bed. He shouldn't have gone to see her like that. He should have shown her his true face, the face of Anakin Skywalker. Maybe then she would have accepted him more. But Vader knew deep down, that whether he wore the mask or not, it didn't change what he had done. It didn't change all the terrible things he had done over the past 8 years. It didn't change all the people he had killed, and it certainly did not change what he had done to Padmé on Mustafar, and what he had done to her in the detention cell earlier today. Anger and regret filling him Vader entered his fresher and got in the shower, in a feeble attempt to wash away some of his guilt. As the hot water rushed over him, he felt tears escape his eyes, mixing with the streams from the shower. In the last few hours, he had experienced such a plethora of emotion: anger for who had betrayed him, hatred for the troopers he had interrogated, hatred for the Emperor who tortured him as a way to keep him in line, hatred for himself, for all he had done and the things he had done to Padmé. But today, he had also felt love, hope and gratitude. The feeling of love for Padmé had intoxicated him. He knew despite her death he still loved her, but he didn't realise it was so intense since he realised, she was stood in front of him in that detention cell. For the first time in 8 years, he felt hope. Hope that not everything was hopeless, hope that one day he and Padmé could be together again. He also felt gratitude. Since Padmé's death, he believed all that had happened was a punishment for his actions. But now he was filled with gratitude, for being given this second chance. For having this chance to redeem himself for all he had done and had a second chance to fall in love with Padmé again. He stepped out the shower feeling a new sense of determination. Even if there was the slightest chance Padmé still loved him, it would be more than worth risking everything for that chance. He knew it was imperative this remained a secret. Padmé would likely need to return to the senate at Senator Soruna, or else Palpatine might get suspicious. But Vader knew Padmé needed time to recover before she could work again. He also had to consider her ties to the Rebellion. No matter his feelings for Padmé he could not be seen to help the Rebellion. But surely, they would seek to make contact with her, Vader thought. He ran his human hand through his wet hair as he decided there were far too many things to consider tonight, and he would have to decide as problems presented themselves. Exhausted from recent events, Vader sought some rest and attempted to get some sleep.

Padmé hadn't realised how quickly she must have fallen asleep until she awoke the next morning. She could see it was light outside but was unsure what time it was. Curiosity getting the best of her she put on a robe and walked down the corridor towards the kitchen. She hesitantly turned the corner, hearing a noise coming from the kitchen, and was uncertain whom she wanted it to be. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw C3PO standing by the replicator, clearly trying to make breakfast. Seeing her walk slowly into the room, 3PO greeted her saying "Good morning My Lady, I trust you rested well and are starting to feel better".

Padmé smiled at the droid and replied "Yes thank you. What time is it 3PO?", Padmé wondered, looking out the window as the busy skies continued outside.

"It is nearly midday, Miss Padmé", 3PO stated, "Master Vader asked me not to wake you from your rest and just be sure to attend to all your needs during the day", he added.

Looking at her hands nervously Padmé asked, "Oh, and erm, where is he 3PO, where is Vader?"

"He left in the early hours of this morning, my Lady. He was called to an important meeting, but he was unsure when he would return", the golden droid reported, as he walked over the Padmé with a plate of breakfast. She smiled in gratitude at the droid, noting he had attempted to replicate food he used to make for her back at 500 Republica, and she appreciated the kind gesture. "Thank you 3PO", she responded.

Vader couldn't help but sit in the meeting and wonder about Padmé. He wondered if she was awake yet, how she was feeling. He hoped 3PO was doing as instructed and looking after her. Vader reflected that she was probably being mollycoddled by the droid, who had always been one for panicking and over exaggerating. He had been sat in this painfully slow meeting for over 4 hours already and nothing had been accomplished. He had been granted a couple of days leave by the Emperor but had been called into an emergency meeting regarding the structural integrity of the in-construction space station. As one of the only people who thoroughly understood the complicated schematics of the station, it was essential Vader was in attendance. The officers had assured Vader that they had consulted experts regarding its construction and that any changes to the design would be updated in the schematics for him to view. Vader despised the arrogance the officers had about the station. They were so convinced this was going to be the ultimate weapon that they had failed to consider the magnitude of a target it will become by the rebellion following its construction. But truthfully, in the last 24 hours, Padmé coming back into his life had made him realise he cared very little for the progress of the station or that of the Empire at all. But it was essential he maintained his position in order to keep Padmé safe because nothing could be done to compromise her safety.

Having established several key project deadlines and scheduled for another meeting in a weeks' time the meeting was adjourned, and Vader was the first to leave the room. He knew before he could return to Padmé, he would have to report back to him master, keeping him appraised on the current situation. The Emperor was very apprehensive about the new station. He was treading a fine line in the Senate, feeding the story of it being used to protect the Empire and its people, and it was critical that façade was maintained to hide its true purpose from the Rebellion. Vader walked briskly towards his master's office, heading down the dark corridor, before meeting with the red guards, who stood in front of the giant floor to ceiling doors. His tall frame strode through the doors and towards his master, who was stood looking outside his window.

"Ah Lord Vader, I trust you bring me some good news.", the Emperor stated, turning to face his apprentice who was kneeling before him.

"Yes, my Master. I am confident that the station can remain on schedule for its construction. Any changes to the design will be updated in the schematics for me to review. Everything is on track, Master", Vader reported, knowing this was exactly what his master wanted to hear.

The Emperor smiled and said "Excellent news my friend. I am sorry you were requested following my grant of several days rest. I shall continue to honour that request so you can rest my friend. I sense you are tired and have been weakened by recent events", he stated coldly.

"Not at all my master. I merely need to refocus myself with your teachings. I shall utilise my leave to train and strengthen myself. I will not disappoint you Master", Vader responded.

"Good my friend. Now, leave me. I have some other matters to attend to", the Emperor said, dismissing his apprentice as Vader nodded in acknowledgement of his words.

As he walked back down the long corridor towards the hangar bay, Vader looked at his wrist chrono and saw it was gone 10 o'clock. He had been in the Senate for nearly 15 hours, listening to insignificant individuals chirp with promises and delusions of grandeur. He would be grateful for some much-needed peace. He knew Padmé's presence had always been soothing to him, and he craved that peace now more than ever.

The skies were quieter as Vader flew home. He wondered whether Padmé would still be awake when he returned. Even if she was, he was unsure what he would do. He didn't know whether she wanted to speak to him and knew it was probably best to give her space. As his ship landed in his private bay, he was greeted by C3PO who looked ready to present him with a daily report.

As Vader exited his ship the droid said, "Master, I was unsure when you would return, but I am glad you are back now".

"How is she?", Vader asked rather vaguely, not wanting to give the impression that he cared so much.

"Miss Padmé is doing better Master. She retired quite some time ago. The medical droid prescribed her some pain medication for a headache she was experiencing but informed me it was a symptom expected following her ordeal. I am confident she will recover back to full health soon", C3PO reported positively.

Vader couldn't help but be disappointed upon hearing Padmé had retired for the night. He craved nothing more than to be able to see her, and for her to be able to see him as more than a masked monster. He too retired to his chambers, his mind still racing with thoughts and unanswered questions.

Having taken the medication the droid had prescribed her, Padmé had been dozing in and out of consciousness, but she didn't feel tired, and her mind was still pulsing. Hoping it would help she decided to take a walk down to the kitchen to clear her mind and get a glass of water. She was uncertain if Vader had returned, but the establishments were very extensive, and it would be possible to exist on opposite sides not knowing if the other occupant was ever there. Lost in her own thoughts, Padmé ran a hand through her tousled brown hair as she reached for a glass of water and walked over to fill it up.

"Couldn't sleep either hmm", a voice said from behind Padmé.

Completely startled by the voice Padmé dropped her glass of water, but before hitting the floor and smashing it stopped in the air and floated to land on the table in front of her. Turning around slowly, she knew what to expect, his voice giving him away, but she was unsure if she wanted to see. Stood only metres away from her was her husband. He was wearing sleep pants but was bare on top and he, as usual, stood tall above her small stature. But what shocked Padmé the most was his face. He looked the same. The light from the Coruscanti sky shone through the kitchen window and reflected off of his face. She could see his piercing blue eyes staring at her, and his blond hair framing his intense but clean-shaven face. Obi-Wan had explained to her what had happened to him following their duel on Mustafar, so if he wasn't dead Padmé had assumed that the mask and suit were necessary. But there he was stood only sleep pants in front of her, with the same face, hair and muscular physique.

Padmé was unsure how many minutes had passed since all of this had been playing in her head. But her thoughts were interrupted by Anakin saying, "Padmé I cannot tell you how happy it has made me that you are alive. I have mourned for you every hour of every day for 8 years, tortured with the knowledge of what I did to you and our unborn child. You are my world Padmé, and I always said I would do all I could to protect you. I have no words to say how sorry I am, and I understand how difficult this must be for you, but you must know how I feel and how my undying love for you has never wavered and will never be any less than what it was all those years ago".

Padmé stood very still, simply listening to his words and processing what it meant. She did not doubt that he still loved her and was certain he probably had punished himself for her death. But she did not know what to say. A huge part of her wanted to run up to him and kiss him all over and forget it all happened, but another part of her wanted to tell him how much he had hurt her, and how she was conflicted by her feelings of love and hurt and just wanted to run away. She knew that she could spend the rest of her life hating him for what he did to her and to them, but that wouldn't change the fact she still loved him, and it would likely only push Anakin more towards the dark.

She took a small step towards him, seeing his face more clearly. A huge wave of emotions hit her, and tears crystaled over her eyes. She couldn't believe it was him. She glanced her eyes over his body. He had a few extra scars on his chest, but much remained the same. He still had the scar over his eye from the clone wars and his cybernetic hand from his encounter with Dooku.

Vader felt so many emotions at this moment he thought he was going to explode. He knew this was either going to be the point where he got Padmé back or lost her forever. Carefully, he stepped close enough to Padmé to be able to take her hand in his gently and got down on one knee and said "Padmé, I know what I have done is unforgivable, but I ask for your forgiveness. I never thought this day would come, and it is torture for me to see the pain in your eyes again. But I must know that I have done all I can to tell you how sorry I am and how much I love you".

Padmé kept her hand in his, unsure exactly how to react. Her mind was trying to play catchup with her emotions, as she looked down on him on one knee in front of her.

"Why Anakin, why?", was all Padmé could manage to say before her emotions overwhelmed her again.

Anakin rose slowly from his feet and released her hand as he walked over to the kitchen window and looked out into the cityscape. He then replied "I had dreams about you dying Padmé, as I did with my mother. I could not live without you Padmé. I had to do all I could to save you. Palpatine manipulated me and I was deceived by a lie believing if I joined him, I could learn the power to save your life. What happened on Mustafar was something that I will live with for the rest of my life, but you have to know that that day when you died, I died with you. Every day, I have lived in hatred of myself because of what I did to you. I have paid only a fraction of the price that I deserve'. He did not turn around but instead remained facing away from her. He had told her everything and hoped she could begin to understand what he was feeling and how he still felt for her.

Padmé was incredibly touched by his words and knew how sincere he was being. She had known about his dreams, but never imagined the damage they would do. She wished he had confided in her, told her what he was thinking and the conflict he was experiencing. '_Maybe it's my fault_', she reflected. If she had been there more for him instead of being part of the delegation of 2000, then maybe she would have noticed him getting closer to the edge and prevented his fall. Breaking from her ruminations, Padmé couldn't help but notice Anakin had a considerable number of scars on his back, which he didn't have before he was Vader. She walked hesitantly nearer to him where she could see him better in the light of the Coruscanti sky. Anakin knew she was coming closer and had undoubtedly seen his scars, but he remained still, unsure of what she would say.

As Padmé was stood inches from his tall frame, she was shocked to see it was her name engraved in his back as what appeared to be burn marks. She could not hold back a gasp as she asked "Anakin, who did this to you?".

He exhaled deeply and said "It was a reminder from the Emperor. A reminder of what I had done. There were very few forms of physical torture that had an effect on me, and he knew the only real way he could torture me was through you. He engraved your name on me as a permanent reminder of the worst mistake of my life, and it twisted me into the darkest depths of despair and hatred and more towards the dark side".

Heartbroken by the confession, Padmé gently traced her hand over the scars gently and said softly, "You didn't deserve this".

Anakin turned slightly to face her, shocked by her level of compassion despite all he had done. He had not told her these things for sympathy, he just wanted her to know how much he regretted what he had done to her and how it had tortured him over the last 8 years.

Feeling a sudden urge to connect with her, Vader lifts his human hand up and caresses Padmé's cheek softly and says "Padmé, I have never stopped loving you. You are in my very soul. Images and memories of you have tortured me for the last 8 years, believing I had lost you, but they all seem so insignificant now you are here in front of my very eyes. I cannot tell you what this means to me", he added, completely overwhelmed by the sea of emotions he was feeling. Knowing he may not have this chance again, Vader slowly lent in towards Padmé and kissed her softly. The action was unexpected by Padmé, but she did not pull away. The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but in those seconds, Vader had felt that spark again. He had forgotten how much physical chemistry Anakin and Padmé had had before everything had happened. But this was different. This was his way of showing Padmé how pure the love was that he still had for her.

Padmé's mind raced during the few seconds of the gentle kiss. It felt so familiar to her, despite how long it had been since she last kissed her husband. But she had to be careful and take it slow before she fully opened herself up to him again. She broke the kiss a few seconds later, standing back facing him. He nervously brushed one side of her hair behind her ear and said, "I should try and get some sleep". She turned to walk away and exit the kitchen.

"Padmé, wait", Vader said. She thought he was going to try and talk about what had just happened, but truly she had no words to describe what she was feeling and knew it was best she sleep on it. Not saying a word Vader used the force to lift the glass of water off the table and into Padmé's hand. She nodded in acknowledgement of his action and smiled softly before turning and departing to head for the guest quarters.


	9. Chapter 9 - Invitation

Vader walked back towards his bed chambers slowly, reflecting on what had just happened. He hadn't intended on seeing Padmé but had felt her force signature in the kitchen and couldn't resist checking that she was okay. There was a big part of him that was relieved to have opened up to her about what had happened and the way he felt. She had seen his face again and had also seen the scars that had been inflicted upon him. But none of that changed what he had done. But despite all of that she had accepted his kiss and not pulled away. He couldn't describe how incredible it was to feel his lips interlock with hers again. For years he believed he would never get to see, touch or truly feel Padmé again. And yet in the last 2 days, he had not only seen Padmé again, but he had touched her and kissed her. He knew that his mind was too hyperactive for sleep, so he decided to head to his gymnasium and do some training, to burn off some steam.

Padmé walked back towards her bed chambers slowly, reflecting on what had just happened. She hadn't intended on seeing Vader in the kitchen and had only gone for a glass of water, but she considered this was his establishments and he was just as free to roam around as she was. There was a big part of her that was relieved to hear what it was he had to say and listen to his side of the story. She had seen the face of Anakin Skywalker and also seen the scars the Emperor had inflicted upon him. She could not deny how it felt to kiss him again. For years she had believed her husband to be dead and now he was stood in front of her, very much as she remembered. More importantly, despite the past, Padmé knew she still loved him and always would. She knew it was unlikely she would get much sleep, but after taking a sip of water and the headache medication prescribed to her she got back into bed and closed her eyes.

Having worked out in the gym for over an hour, Vader decides to end his session, his shoulder injury still causing him some discomfort. It frustrated him that it was still causing an issue, as he believed he had healed himself with the force. Deciding it was best to deal with this now, Vader headed to the medical bay and consulted the medical droid there.

"How may I help you Lord Vader?", the droid asked moving towards him as he sat on the medical bed.

"I sustained several blaster wounds on a mission a couple of days ago. I believed I had healed my injuries with the force, but my shoulder has been causing me pain since", Vader reported, directing the droid to his bare shoulder.

The droid moved around to get a better view of his shoulder and inspected it, bringing his scanner closer towards him. After several beeps and moments of silence the droid moves around again to face Vader and stated "My Lord, I believe there is a foreign object that had become lodged inside the wound. It had caused a considerable infection which I believe is the source of your pain. I will need to remove the foreign object and then I can prescribe you some medication to fight the infection".

Vader nodded in acknowledgement of the diagnosis and said, "Can you do it now?".

"Yes, My Lord, permit me a few moments to acquire the necessary tools, and I shall return soon", the droid responded.

Vader rose from the bed and walked around the medical suite. He had not anticipated that there was a foreign object in his wound, but it made sense why the force didn't heal it. He was lucky he had consulted the droid now because despite his good health and physical fitness he had to avoid contracting infections that could affect the recovery of his respiratory health. Over the last 8 years, his lung and natural breathing capacity had improved enormously. When he was in his establishments, he was able to live freely without the mask, and would only utilise his hyperbaric chamber following periods of high excursion to facilitate a quicker recovery. Because he spent so much of his time wearing his mask as Vader, his breathing was augmented by the mechanics in his suit, taking the additional strain off his respiratory system. He was grateful he had recovered in such a way that Padmé was able to see him without his mask and suit, that she was able to see him as the man she remembered, as the man he was to her.

As Vader was deep in thought the medical droid returned with the tools he needed and asked, "Would you like the sedative now my Lord?"

Vader knew if he took the sedative he would be out for a long time and instead replied "No need, I can call on the force to deal with the pain, as it's hardly a deeply invasive procedure".

Pausing for a moment unsure whether to challenge him the droid replied, "If you are sure my Lord, I shall make a small incision at the site of the wound to remove the object and then give you your first dosage of antibiotics intravenously to expedite the process".

Vader nodded and moved to lie down on the medical bed as the droid came closer. He closed his eyes and called on the force to calm himself and increase his pain threshold. This was a regular occurrence for Vader, as he would often have to call on his pain management following a meeting when his master was disappointed with him. Vader would always call on the dark side of the force and its teachings to help him manage the pain and push it away. But this time it was different. Vader found himself focusing on a different source to distract himself. He was focusing on the light, and that light was Padmé. He was focusing on the joy her being alive had brought him, and the happiness he had felt when they had kissed earlier. He focused on her beauty and her purity and how much he loved her. It had been 8 long years since Vader had used the light side of the force, and it unnerved him to use it, but it had come so naturally to him he could not fight it.

The droid finished the job swiftly and removed the object, before applying a bacta patch to heal the incision. He reported "I have removed the object my Lord and the bacta should heal it within 12 hours or so. I'm just going to inject some medication in for the infection and I recommend for the greatest effect you come to me for an intravenous dose every 4 hours for the next 2 days.".

Vader nodded in understanding as the droid injected him with the antibiotics. Vader then stood up and said, "Understood, thank you".

"My pleasure My Lord", the droid replied, nodding as Vader left the room. He admittedly felt a little sore from the minor operation, so he decided to try and get a couple of hours rest. He walked back to his chambers slowly and got into his large bed. There was a part of him that found it strange that he and Padmé were residing in the same place, but were not even remotely near one another, let alone sharing a bed. He rested his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, imagining the sweet smell of Padmé next to him, bringing him a sense of peace and security.

Padmé woke up the next morning feeling quite well-rested. Despite what had transpired in the middle of the night she felt at peace and did not regret what had happened. Truly there was very little to regret. Vader and she had kissed, but he was her husband whom she had believed dead for 8 years. In her mind, she recollected the confessions he had made last night, and she also remembered the terrible scars she had seen on Anakin's back. It broke her heart to see how he had suffered. Despite all that he had done she loved him, and it pained her to see how he had been tortured by the Emperor for her death. It did not surprise Padmé that with that knowledge Vader had been pushed further into the dark side. She knew how strong Anakin's feelings were for her, truthfully, they were maybe even too strong, and she couldn't imagine the impact that such a feeling would have had on him. He had carried around the guilt of killing not only Padmé, but their child for 8 years, and the Emperor had twisted and used it as ammunition to make him serve at his feet.

Unsure of where she would find Vader she decided to venture into the kitchen in a search of some breakfast. She hoped Vader would have food available, as she didn't mind cooking, and this was the first time in days when she had felt hungry. As Padmé walked into the kitchen, she was greeted by the golden droid C3PO who said "Oh, good morning Miss Padmé. Would you like me to make you some breakfast?".

She smiled at the droid and said "It's alright thank you Threepio. I was hoping I could perhaps cook breakfast for myself this morning if you have the supplies".

The droid moved towards a large storage cupboard in the kitchen and replied "Yes my lady. You should be able to find all the necessary amenities in these draws and cupboards. If you have any trouble finding anything, do not hesitate to ask".

Padmé nodded in response and then asked "Where is Vader? Do I, should I make him something too?".

3PO turned around to Padmé and said "I believe he is in the medical suite, my lady. I am uncertain whether he has eaten or not. Would you like me to go and ask him?", he asked.

"It's alright, Threepio, I shall go and ask him. Thank you". Padmé responded. As the droid then left the room, so did Padmé. She believed she could recall the way to the medical suite. She wondered why he was there. Was he hurt? But he seemed fine last night, she pondered. After several minutes of following a series of long corridors, Padmé arrived at the medical suite and walked in to see Vader sat on a medical bed. He had a large bacta patch on his shoulder and there was a medical droid next to him.

"The intravenous antibiotics appear to be working well to cure the infection, My Lord. I am confident you should not experience any respiratory complications as a result. The bacta patch needs a few more hours so I will remove that when you come for your final antibiotic dosage", the droid reported. The droid had not noticed Padmé stood in the doorway, but Vader had felt her presence as she was walking down the corridor. He was amazed how strongly he was now connected to her in the force, yet he had been unable to detect her when her mental shields were erected so strongly as Senator Soruna.

"Good morning Padmé.", Vader said, acknowledging her presence.

Padmé was unsure whether he had been able to see her but surmised he had probably felt her through the force. He had always been able to do that; except as Senator Soruna, she added quickly.

"What brings you to the medical suite?", Vader asked. "I trust you are recovering well", he added.

Padmé brushed her hair behind her ear nervously and replied "Yes I am fine. C3PO informed me you were here. I was going to make breakfast and was unsure if you had eaten".

Vader stood up from the medical bed and put on a shirt, just doing up a middle button. "Yes, I was in need of some medical assistance following an injury I sustained on Kessel. A blaster wound to the shoulder. Some shrapnel became embedded in the wound, so I was unable to heal it with the force and I developed an infection. I was fortunate that was the extent of my injuries. Consequently, I have been given a couple of days leave to recover".

Padmé noticed the bacta patch on his shoulder but didn't want to ask what had happened. She couldn't help but feel responsible for his injuries, as it was she who had informed the Rebellion of his location in order to ambush him and kill him. She wondered how many people had perished on that unsuccessful mission.

Seeing her face screw a little with conflict Vader added, "To answer your question I have not yet eaten breakfast and would be most privileged to join you".

Padmé was uncertain how to reply as they continued to walk out of the medical bay and back towards the kitchen. She knew there was so much they needed to talk about, and last night they had only just scratched the surface. He had opened up to her a little and they had shared a kiss, but very little had been said. As they got to the kitchen Padmé said, "I was going to make fruit and pancakes, is that acceptable to you?".

Vader nodded and replied "Yes indeed thank you. I am not used to such luxury. I usually eat from military ration packages or have bland high-density foods simply for fuel purposes. Truthfully, I don't spend a considerable amount of time here", he added. He offered to help with breakfast, but Padmé insisted she wanted to do it and enjoyed cooking. He sat and watched her, admiring her with subtle looks back and forth, still unable to believe she as truly here before him.

Padmé served up breakfast and he thanked her. They sat at the table in relative silence before Vader stated "It would be an honour if you would accompany me to dinner tonight. I can have a designer come so you can select a suitable outfit of your choosing. There is something I wish to show you as well".

Padmé couldn't help being curious about what he had to show her. She also knew this was an opportunity for them to begin to discuss what had happened. But she was unsure where they would even begin if there was a right place to start.

"I accept your invitation. But I do not need a dress simply for dinner. A much simpler attire would suffice", she replied.

Vader smiled and said "That may be. But Padmé, if my memory serves me well from the Empire Day ball you were the most beautiful woman in that room. I imagine you have not had many an opportunity to wear such attire in the last 8 years. I think it would be a waste for such dresses to be created and not warn by angels like you. I promise I will make the effort worth your time".

Padmé nodded and said "Alright. Thank you", smiling at his compliments. She was surprised he could recall what she had worn on Empire Day. But Anakin had always had a good memory and she perceived he was now remembering all the times he had seen her as Senator Soruna. After they had finished breakfast Vader collected her dishes and insisted, he would wash them. As he stood by the centre island he stated "I shall make a few calls now and have someone here within the next hour or two. There are a couple of matters I need to attend to prior to our meeting later. Shall I leave you in your own and C3PO's capable hands and meet you outside your room at 6 o'clock standard time", he asked.

Looking at the large clock on the wall Padmé replied "Yes, I believe that will give me more than sufficient time to meet with the designer and select appropriate attire and get ready. I shall meet you then".

Vader smiled and nodded before exiting the room and heading to his office to make a couple of calls. As Vader left Padmé could not help but feel a little bit excited for their date. When Padmé and Anakin had been together during the Clone Wars they always had to meet in secret and they were never able to go to nice restaurants on Coruscant or spend a lot of time together, for fear of being caught. Even when Anakin used to come and stay in her apartment at 500 Republica he had to make excuses for why he was not staying in the Jedi temple. It was a demanding and stressful balance, and there was an element of relief for Padmé that right now they did not have to pretend, and she could enjoy tonight.

As Vader left Padmé, he could not help but feel a little bit excited for this evening. When he and Padmé had been together during the Clone Wars, they had to do everything in secret and got to spend very little time together. He reflected that the only time they probably had together completely just the two of them was when they married on Lake Varykino. Vader remembered how magical that day had been. When despite everything Anakin and Padmé had committed themselves to one another, being unable to deny the love they had for each other anymore. There was an element of relief for Vader that tonight they were able to enjoy one another's company without worrying about being watched by anyone else. But secretly there was a part that was worried about it too. He knew they had a lot to talk about and it all stemmed back to right now who he was. The man that Padmé had married and loved was Anakin Skywalker. Yet standing here right now Vader could not deny that he loved Padmé and he had even said to Padmé in the detention cell that he was the man Padmé had married. He knew Padmé was calling him Anakin again, as that was the man she knew, the man who looked like Vader. But he had not renounced the dark side and had still committed all of those terrible acts as Vader. He was also still in service to the Empire and the Emperor. But Vader knew if it came between choosing any of it and Padmé, he would do anything for Padmé. He had lost her once and he could never do that again. But it wasn't that simple, he couldn't just forget about all he had done over the last 8 years as Vader. But more than anything he wanted to be the man for Padmé, and that man was Anakin Skywalker.

Before the designer came Padmé decided to have a shower so she was all ready and prepared for the showcasing and fitting. Having spent a lot of her life as a Queen and a Senator she was very familiar with the formal processes of selecting attire for an occasion and all the stages of preparing for such events. But this was different, Padmé had never dressed up for a date before. She had never not had to consider what the media and her people and other senators would think of what she was wearing. There was only one time before when she had worn such an outfit for herself, and that was for her wedding. Padmé had picked the dress herself and worn it on that magical evening on Lake Varykino. She would never forget the day that her and Anakin married, it was the day when they had decided they could no longer fight their forbidden love and instead they would marry in secret. It was a secret that they didn't know would destroy them, Padmé reflected. She was broken from her ruminations when C3PO knocked at her door and informed her that a designer had arrived and was ready in the living area. When Padmé walked down to meet the designer, she was overwhelmed by the abundance of racks that were in front of her. How could she possibly pick one dress from all of these? It would take her hours to try all of these on and choose which was her favourite.


	10. Chapter 10 - Dinner

Bail Organa paced tensely inside Mon Mothma's office. Mothma sat at her desk as Bail said "Nobody has seen or heard from Padmé in over 2 days. I went to her office and the trooper informed me she had been detained on the orders of Darth Vader. He said he had not heard from any of the troops since then", he added nervously.

Mothma remained silent for a moment thinking before saying, "Bail, we must try and remain calm in this situation. We must remember we are still being watched and that maybe this could all be a test, to see how we react. There have been disappearances before".

Bail wiped his face with his hands before saying, "But Mon, if Padmé has been detained, she will be interrogated for the knowledge she has, or if she shares the same fate as the others who have disappeared she may be killed".

Mothma knew this was a hard topic of conversation and that it was something she had only recently come to know but she needed to say it. "Bail. You told me that Vader used to be Anakin Skywalker. And if that is the case and Vader finds out that Senator Soruna is Padmé then surely he will not kill her".

"We are assuming that Vader would find out that piece of information, which is unlikely. Obi-Wan told me that he had trained Padmé to close her mind of all thoughts of that part of her life. And there is no way that Padmé knows that Vader used to be Anakin. Even if Vader did find out, it wouldn't necessarily save her. It did not stop him from force choking her while she was pregnant on Mustafar. There are too many uncertain elements in that assumption.", Bail commented, the anxiety in his tone increasing.

Mon stood from her desk and came to meet Bail in the centre of the room and placed a hand on his shoulder before saying, "I know I did not know Padmé as well as you did. But I know she mourned the death of Anakin and despite what happened she always believed there was good in him. What if she could change him? What if being alive was just the revelation that Vader needed to renounce the dark side. It could be the revelation that the rebellion needed", she said positively.

"Even if Padmé did believe that Vader has done nothing to prove that is the case. Why would he change for her now when he couldn't all those years ago?", Bail questioned.

Mothma paused before saying, "Because he has felt what it is like to lose her. And I can't imagine anyone, no matter how strong would want to go through that again".

Bail processed her words slowly. He knew Mothma was right. Vader had lost Padmé and it had pushed him over the edge. If he knew Padmé was alive, she could be the key to bringing him back and turning against the Emperor. But what if that was all false hope and Vader had killed or imprisoned her. Bail knew he needed to inform Obi-Wan who was likely concerned he had not heard from Padmé in several days. He was unsure exactly what he would say to Obi-Wan but hoped maybe he would have some inspiring words of wisdom.

"I know it is hard. But we should hold on to the hope that no news is good news. And her death has not been reported. If the Emperor wanted to get rid of her he wouldn't have placed her under Vader's protection, and he would have calculated a plan to have her killed in some unfortunate accident. We need to hold on to that hope Bail", Mothma stated.

Bail nodded and forced a small smile to Mothma. He turned to leave her office and said, "I am going to contact Obi-Wan and inform him what we know. If you hear anything please do not hesitate to come and find me", he added.

"I will be sure to", Mothma replied as Bail left her office, closing the door behind him.

Bail walked quickly back to his office, wanting to ensure that his call wasn't interrupted by any meetings he had planned later in the day. When he got to his office, he closed the door behind him and walked over to his desk and unlocked the bottom draw. He reached in the draw and pulled out his encrypted comm and set it to Obi-Wan's saved frequency.

There were a few seconds of silence before Bail heard someone say, "Senator Organa, is that you?"

Bail exhaled deeply before responding "Yes, it is me. I wanted to contact you about something gravely important. It's about Padmé".

"What has happened Senator Organa?", Obi-Wan asked, clear anxious in his tone.

"We have not heard from her in over 2 days. I went to her office to see her and was informed that she had been detained on the orders of Darth Vader", Bail reported.

"I knew I should not have let her return to the Senate. I knew it was too dangerous for her. And now this has happened, the worst thing possible. She is in the merciless hands of Vader", Obi-Wan stated.

"Obi-Wan, you and I both know that we were unable to stop Padmé when she is so determined to do something. We must try to stay optimistic here. We have not heard any news regarding her death, and if it was so it is likely the Emperor would be keen to cover it up with the story of a terribly unfortunate accident to avoid it drawing any attention", Bail said, trying to take a page out of Mon Mothma's book and more positive.

"I fear what will happen to Padmé at the hands of Vader. He does not know she is alive, and he will interrogate her without hesitation", Obi-Wan said.

"You used to tell me that the connection between Padmé and Anakin was the strongest connection you had ever seen between two people. Is it possible that if they were to learn the truth of their identities that Vader would save her?", Bail posed to Obi-Wan.

"I fear that if Vader was to discover the truth it would not stop him from hurting Padmé. The way he felt for her did not stop him on Mustafar Senator, why would he change now, even if he discovered Padmé was alive?", Obi-Wan questioned.

Bail remarked of the irony that he had posed the same question to Mothma not long ago. He paused for a moment before saying, "Because he has felt what it is like to lose her. And I cannot imagine he will want to do that again. We must hold on to the hope that they do discover the truth and that Padmé is able to change him".

"I will meditate on this and see if the force can provide me with some insight. I pray for Padmé and the twin's sake that your faith in Vader and Padmé is not misplaced. Please inform me if you hear anything Senator. It would break me if anything was to happen to Padmé, I vowed to keep her safe", Obi-Wan added, a sense of determination in his voice.

"I shall Obi-Wan. May the force be with you", Bail replied.

"May the force be with all of us, Senator Organa", Obi-Wan stated, before the communication lined ended.

Bail quickly placed the comm back in his draw and sat down at his desk, deciding to try and distract himself with the large volume of documentation that had piled up on his desk.

Padmé had forgotten how tiring it was trying on so many different dresses, seeking to find the perfect one. Over the last couple of hours, she had tried on over 30 different dresses, all of which were beautiful and incredibly expensive. The designer had informed Padmé that anything she wanted had already been paid for, so to make her selection based on the dress she loved the most. Having been through all the options and taken in the advice of the designer, Padmé had chosen the perfect dress. It was elegant and conservative but showed off more skin than she would have if she was going out as a Senator or Queen. She enjoyed this freedom of being able to pick exactly what she wanted.

She stood in front of the mirror, turning around to inspect the dress one last time before making her final decision.

"You look absolutely beautiful my lady. That dress is such a perfect fit", the designer commented.

"Thank you. It is truly a beautiful design and the fabric is gorgeous", Padmé replied.

"I think you should wear it with these shoes, My Lady. They would look divine", the designed stated, pulling a pair of satin white heels from the bottom of one of the racks. "They really will complete the look", she added.

"They are beautiful, thank you so much", Padmé said, as she took the shoes and sat down on the chair to try them on. She then stood up and smiled, content with her finished look.

The designer smiled back, admiring the beauty of this mystery woman. There was something about her face that was incredibly familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Who was this mystery women who was staying in the establishments of Darth Vader, whom he was willing to spend all this money on? There was no doubt she was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen, and she seemed like a lovely woman. But the designer couldn't help but wonder she was to have captured the attention of the Dark Lord Darth Vader. She pulled herself from her thoughts and said to Padmé "I believe you have a stylist arriving soon so I shall depart as to not get in the way anymore My Lady".

Padmé looked at her a little surprised before replying, "Oh, I was not aware that I had anyone else coming but thank you for informing me".

"No problem, My Lady. I hope you enjoy your evening", she replied. She picked up her bag and left to depart the room. Padmé noticed she had not left with any of the racks of dresses and rushed to catch up to her in her heels saying "Sorry, I believe you have forgotten to take the racks with you. Would you like some help moving them?", she asked.

The designer smiled before replying, "They are all for you My Lady. Lord Vader requested you select your favourite dress that you wished to wear tonight, but then that the rest remained for you as a gift for other occasions. He was very clear about his instructions".

Padmé was shocked by her response and was unsure what to say, "Erm, oh, okay. I apologise I was not aware of such an arrangement. Thank you again for your services and the dresses, they are beautiful".

"It was my please My Lady", the designer replied, before turning and leaving.

Padmé returned to the living area and took off the dress and shoes, carefully hanging it back up before she would put it on tonight. Just as she had got changed back into her lounge robe, C3PO escorted in who she inferred was the stylist also called in by Vader.

"Good afternoon My Lady. My name is Beaux", the stylist said.

"Hello, Beaux. I apologise I was unaware that anyone would be coming. I fear you have caught me a little by surprise", Padmé admitted.

The stylist smiled and responded, "That is understandable My Lady. I was only contacted several hours ago by Lord Vader. I have to say I was most surprised to hear he was entertaining guests; you must be very important for him to consult me on such short notice", he added frankly.

Padmé nodded unsure how to respond before saying, "If it is better for you, we can relocate to my quarters, as there are better lighting and mirrors in there. I can bring my outfit with me if that then makes it easier when I get changed into it all later".

"Whichever you prefer My Lady. I am here to serve you. Although I can see you will be making my job a lot easier, because you are very beautiful", he added softly.

Blushing Padmé smiled and replied "Thank you. You are too kind. However, I have never been a master at hair or makeup so your help will be hugely appreciated. I fear it has been a long time since I did this sort of thing on a regular basis. It all seems very foreign to me now", Padmé explained as she picked up her dress and shoes and walked with the stylist up the corridor towards her bed chambers.

"Well I am here to make you look like the Queen you are My Lady", Beaux said smiling as they walked. At her words, Padmé almost froze. Did he know who she was, that she had been a queen? She then kicked herself at her paranoia. The man had just meant it as a figure of speech. Padmé had spent the last 8 years covering her tracks following her death and had done all she could to ensure her identity remained a secret. But it had had its impact on her and she was more than a little closed off to people. Even to Obi-Wan, she did not really open up to him and had never spoken to anyone about Anakin. She had always said to people she would move on in her own time, but truthfully, she had never even entertained the idea of initiating a relationship with anyone else. That side of Padmé had died when Anakin had. She had the twins and Obi-Wan and she did not need another distraction in her life. Distracted by her thoughts, Padmé nearly walked past her bed chambers. Bringing herself back to reality she walked into her chambers and hung her dress up in her wardrobe and placed her shoes on the floor.

"Please do come in and make yourself comfortable", Padmé said as the artist placed his bags down by the chair and vanity in the corner of the room.

"Your room is fantastic", Beaux commented.

"Thank you. Truthfully, it is a bit too much for me. I almost feel like I get lost in it sometimes when I'm in here all alone", Padmé replied.

Beaux couldn't help but pull a face of slight surprise. Padmé deduced that he probably assumed she was his mistress if he had brought him here to dress her up. It was likely that her statement about being here alone made him question his initial assumptions.

Breaking the slightly awkward silence, Padmé asked, "While you get set up, can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink?".

Beaux smiled and replied, "Just a glass of water would be hugely appreciated, My Lady."

"Of course. I will return in a moment", Padmé nodded as she left the room and Beaux began to take out the vast supplies, he had bought with him. As Padmé walked to the kitchen, she was surprised to see Vader stood there in his suit and mask. She had gotten a little used to seeing him with just a shirt and trousers on around the house. She then realised that there were guests here and he could not risk being seen without his mask on. She walked over to the sink and said, "I was unaware you had consulted the entire design team of Coruscant for one evening. A designer, who left all the dresses she bought with her I might add. And a stylist who has more equipment at his disposal than the captain of the Imperial army".

Vader did not move but she could tell he was probably smiling under his mask. He then replied in his mechanical voice, "I saw an opportunity to make the most of some talented individuals on Coruscant and I took it".

Padmé agreed and replied "Indeed. You must have a great degree of trust in that artist to permit him to be in my bed chambers alone with me", she toyed.

Vader placed his gloved hand on the centre island and responded, "Let's just say he would prefer to be in my bed chambers alone with me than you".

Padmé could not help but smile at his comment and simply replied, "Ah, I see. Well, I better get back to him. I believe he has some serious work to do. I shall see you at 6, as agreed".

"Of course, Senator", he replied formally. He then turned and left, walking down the hallway, as Padmé did the same back towards her bed chambers.

When she arrived back in her room, she placed the glass of water on the vanity cabinet and saw Beaux had all of his equipment spread out across the room. Padmé could not believe all that he had as she said, "If something amongst all of this is unable to make me look good then I don't know what will".

"Oh, don't worry My Lady you are going to look like the brightest star on Coruscant tonight. Now may I see your dress. It will help me decide which style of hair and colour scheme to go with for your makeup", he asked politely.

"Of course,", Padmé replied as she sat down at her vanity table.

As Beaux emerged from the wardrobe he said enthusiastically, "I know just what to do. Now, let's get started".

Unexpectedly, Beaux then covered the mirror on the table with a cloth. Seeing the confusion on Padmé's face, Beaux stated, "I want it to be a surprise for you and for him". Padmé smiled at him and then nodded, as Beaux started to gather the necessary equipment to begin styling her hair.

Vader busied himself with several mundane tasks as he waited for 6 o'clock to come. Despite knowing it was not possible, he felt that every time he looked at his wrist chrono time went backwards. He needed to wait for the artist to depart before he got ready, as he could not risk being seen without his mask and suit, or he would have to kill him. Vader was unsure why he was so bothered by that concept now. He had killed many people, for less a crime than seeing him without his suit. He could not help but believe that this was because Padmé was here. He wanted to be the man she believed and wanted him to be, and that meant he had to change. He intended with every ounce of his being to win back her heart and prove to her how much he loved her, and that would start tonight.

Nearly 2 hours passed, and Beaux was just finishing up Padmé's make-up. She couldn't help but begin to feel apprehensive about her meeting with Vader. She didn't know whether to refer to him as Anakin or Vader. He looked like Anakin but behaved like Vader. But after speaking to him over the last few days and especially earlier he reminded her of Anakin all those years ago, making funny jokes and remarks to make her smile. She knew they had a long way to go and a lot to talk about, but they had to start somewhere. She wanted him to be the man she believed he was. She intended with every ounce of her being to bring him back to the light, by showing him how much she loved him, and that would start tonight.

"Now my dear. I think we are all done", Beaux said as he stepped back from Padmé. "You look to die for My Lady", he added, smiling at her.

Padmé went to look in the mirror and realised it was covered before smiling and saying, "I guess I will just have to believe you".

"Well actually, lucky for you I have to take that cover with me. So, you will have the luxury of a couple of minutes to admire your beauty and my work before Lord Vader sees you", Beaux added joyfully.

As Beaux packed up his equipment Padmé grew curious as to what Beaux had done. She had some idea as she had seen various pieces and brushes go to and from Beaux's hands and her face. She didn't have long to wait now, she reflected, as she looked at her wrist chrono which said it was 5:45.

"Now My Lady, are you ready", Beaux asked. Padmé nodded as he walked over to the mirror and slowly removed the cover from the mirror. Padmé sat for a moment admiring the work that Beaux had done. He had kept her make-up simple, but her eyeshadow complemented the colours in her dress beautifully, with the shades of blue emphasising her doe brown eyes. He had given her a soft red lip that complemented her lip shape but was not too distracting. He had then tied half her hair up and curled it pinning it up on the top of her head. From this a flowed a long braid down her back and was tied perfectly at the bottom. It was simple yet elegant, just the way Padmé loved it.

Padmé exhaled deeply before saying, "Beaux, you have done a wonderful job thank you. I love it". She stood up and hugged him gently.

Beaux embraced her back before pulling away and saying, "Hey now don't ruin my masterpiece. Now I shall depart and let you put on that gorgeous dress. You truly look stunning my dear. Your droid can see me out", Beaux said as he picked up his bags and walked out her chambers.

Padmé sat back down for a minute, staring at herself. She was not intending to be vain in her moment of self-obsession, but this was truly the first time in many years where she had desired to make herself look beautiful. She had been forced to dress up for the Empire Day Ball, but it had all been a necessary façade to maintain her cover. Tonight, she wanted to dress up and look beautiful for Anakin, she wanted to make the most of them being able to meet in private and enjoy the moment.

Vader retreated to his chambers, having heard 3PO escort out Beaux. He jumped in the shower quickly knowing he could not show up late to Padmé's door. He ran a hand through his wet hair in the shower. How he had longed for this day. A day when he and Padmé could meet without compromise. During the clone wars, they lived in fear of detection and always had to be discrete in their actions. But not tonight. Tonight, Vader and Padmé didn't have to worry about any of that, and it was fortunate because they had a lot to discuss. He got out of the shower and dried himself off quickly. Truthfully, he did not have a very varied wardrobe, but he had made the effort to have suitable dress delivered. He wore dark black pants with his normal black boots on the bottom. He wore a dark shirt, with a formal military-style jacket on top. He wanted to keep it simple but formal. He ran a comb through his drying hair and cautiously took a look in the mirror. He was surprised to see that his eyes were completely blue. It had been a long time since his eyes had been his natural colour, as they had often been tainted sith yellow. Vader knew this was not a coincidence and that Padmé had a lot to do with the fact that he looked and acted more like Anakin Skywalker than ever. He could not deny that he wanted to be that man for her. He wanted to be the man she loved. But it would mean turning his back on all that he had become over the last 8 years. But he would do that for her. He would do anything for her. Nervously, he left his bedroom and walked slowly up towards the corridor leading to Padmé's bed chambers.

Padmé had now put her dress on and picked up her shoes and walked over to her bed to put them on. She knew Anakin would be here in a matter of moments. She was excited to see him and talk to him. It was strange to think that she had gone 8 years without seeing him and now felt like they had been apart too long having been only a couple of hours. She could not deny the strength of the connection that Anakin and she possessed. But was it Anakin and her, or Vader and her? This question was just the start of a long list of many that Padmé needed answers too.


	11. Chapter 11 - Revelation

As Padmé slipped on her satin white shoes, she heard the door knock. She stood up from the bed slowly, and patted down her dress, quickly checking herself over in the mirror. "I'm coming", she responded as she walked towards the door. Seconds later she opened the door and saw the familiar face of her husband stood in front of her. He wore all black, but that had always suited him best. His tall frame was flattered by the tight but well fitted military-style uniform, and he had done his hair so his curls were styled but still soft. She smiled at him as he looked back at her completely lost for words.

When Padmé opened the door, Anakin immediately lost everything he had planned to say. He always knew how beautiful Padmé was, but right not he could not believe how beautiful she was. Her hair was styled so elegantly, as it was tied half at the top with some loose curls and then a large braid down her back. Her makeup was simple, accentuating her natural beauty, but bolder in the eyes and lips. The dress was truly incredible. It was a soft flowy material at the bottom that just touched the floor perfectly with the help of her shoes. The top was a tighter fit around her neck, with individual silver beads threaded across the neckline. The soft material flowed from the neck down to waist where is flowed out into a looser material. Wanting to see more of the dress Anakin took Padmé's hand in his and twirled her around slowly. There he saw how the beaded neck of the dress was tied at the back and then swooped around the sides of her body, making it mostly backless until the flowing material met near the bottom of her back becoming the skirt of the dress. It was a gorgeous shade of blue that started off dark at the top and faded into a lighter sky blue, then into a delicate bright white, which matched her shoes. Once Padmé had done a full circle, Anakin took her hand and brought it up to his lips and kissed it softly.

"Padmé, I apologise for my lack of words, it's just you have truly left me speechless. I cannot begin to tell you how beautiful you look", Anakin stated, still struggling to comprehend it was his wife stood in front of him.

Padmé smiled and blushed before replying, "Thank you. I must give the credit to the designer for the dress, it is beautiful. And Beaux is an artist truly, his work is incredible".

"No, Padmé. You are incredible. The truth is, whilst a designer and artist were consulted to help you get ready tonight, you would look just as gorgeous standing in front of me as you always have. I still cannot believe it", Anakin stated. He felt like a teenager again, reminded of how little control he had over his emotions of Padmé when he and Obi-Wan were first assigned to protect her when he was just a padawan. Truthfully, he had never been the best at controlling his emotions regarding Padmé. It was his biggest weakness. She was his biggest weakness.

Padmé was unsure how to respond before saying, "You look rather dashing too. Black always did suit you very well. And your hair always did look nice slightly longer and curly". For the first time, Padmé got to look up into his eyes and she saw that they were purely blue the way she remembered them. It had been a long time since she had seen his eyes be like that.

Anakin lifted his arm for her to join on to before saying, "Dinner will not be too long. But in the meantime, if it is acceptable to you, I would like to show you something that is very special to me. Something I have never shown anyone".

Curiosity grew in Padmé as she responded, "Please, show me the way".

They walked in relative silence down the long corridor before arriving at a large door. Padmé knew a lot of the doors in the establishments were locked, but it had never occurred to her that there would be anything particularly special behind any of them. When they got to the door, Padmé was surprised to see Anakin enter her birthday into the keypad and the door opened. "This way", Anakin stated as he held the door open for her and signalled for her to enter.

Unsure of what to expect Padmé walked in slowly. She then stopped in her tracks when she saw what was in there. Padmé did not know what to think when she saw the view in front of her. It was a whole Nubian garden, with what appeared to be almost every species of plant and flower known to grow on Naboo. She walked forward shocked by what she could see. She knew a lot of these flowers were reminiscent of the time Anakin and Padmé spent on Naboo when she was under his protection, which was also where they first declared their love for one another and later married. She crouched down and touched one flower softly, tears coming to her eyes before saying, "Anakin, I don't believe this. This is beautiful. It's just like being on Naboo. Why, why do you have this?", she asked.

Vader walked forward and came to stand next to her as they looked out into the gardens before replying, "When I lost you, I didn't know how I could ever carry on. I had to have some way to remember you by. Some way that the Emperor or anyone could never know about. I had these gardens created in memory of you, although truthfully, I have not been in here for over 5 years. I did not believe myself worthy of being near anything that reminded me of you".

Padmé took his hand before saying, "It is beautiful Anakin. Thank you for showing me. I know it must not be easy for you".

"It is my gift to you Padmé. These gardens are yours and you may come here whenever you please. You know how to get in". Anakin replied sincerely.

"Thank you", Padmé said a tear coming to her eye.

"With permission, it would be my pleasure to escort you to dinner My Lady", Anakin said, keeping hold of her hand softly and guiding her out of the gardens.

"Of course,", Padmé replied as they walked out the room together and back down the halls towards the dining area. Padmé was still overwhelmed by what she had just seen. Despite all that Anakin had done as Vader, he had still created that garden in her memory. She knew that even as Vader he never stopped loving her, and she hoped that this time her love would be enough to save him.

Anakin and Padmé entered the dining hall and came to sit at opposite ends of the rather long table. As they sat down a droid entered bringing them a glass of water and wine each, and a starting course. Trying to break the ice again Anakin commented, "I cannot remember the last time I had a glass of wine. It may in fact have been our wedding night", he reflected.

Padmé took a sip of her wine before saying, "I have never been a frequent drinker, but I can appreciate it on rare occasions". She then placed her napkin on her lap, not wanting to risk getting anything on her dress and picked up her knife and fork to begin eating. Anakin did the same, as they ate in relative silence, enjoying the food. Truthfully, they found themselves in a rather awkward situation. Both Padmé and Anakin probably knew each other better than any other person in the galaxy, and they had so much they needed to talk about, yet neither of them was able to find a way to start the conversation. As their plates were cleared and the main course was brought out, they found themselves exchanging simple pleasantries about the weather and Coruscant's permanently busy night sky. The food was truly delicious, but despite this Padmé could not seem to be able to fight the urge to ask a burning question she had.

Obi-Wan had told her what had happened between him and Anakin on Mustafar. How after Anakin had strangled her a battle had broken out between Anakin and Obi-Wan which resulted in Obi-Wan jumping for higher ground on the lava banks away from Anakin on the river. But Anakin's confidence got the better of him and he had attempted to jump over Obi-Wan to get the advantage of the higher ground. Instead, when Anakin jumped, Obi-Wan sliced his sabre through Anakin's legs and arms and left him on the banks. She knew how hard that decision had been for Obi-Wan, but he had believed he was lost to the dark side and would die from his injuries, but he could not bring himself to deal the final blow that would kill him with certainty.

Anakin looked across the table at Padmé and could see she was deep in thought. Despite her face creasing slightly as her mind raced, he still admired how beautiful she looked. The way her hair framed her face made her flawless skin glow, and her dress made her look like an angel from the skies, just like Anakin had always believed her to be. But he could not resist finding out what she was thinking so asked, "What has you troubled, Padmé?". He knew asking such an open-ended question could generate many answers, but he wanted to know what she was thinking, because they had to start somewhere, and he hoped she would be able to help them work out where.

Padmé listened to his question and then took a sip of water to clear her throat. She looked down at her hands before asking, "What happened to you on Mustafar? Obi-Wan told me what transpired between you and him on the banks".

Anakin had always known this was something she would be curious about, after all, it occurred immediately after he strangled her on the landing platform. He was surprised at her admission that Obi-Wan had told her about what had happened between him and his old master. Did that mean he was alive, and that Padmé had been in contact with him, he wondered. He put down his knife and fork and then paused before looking into Padmé's eyes across the table and replying, "The Emperor found me close to death on the bank by the river of lava. My limbs had been severed and I had been partially burned, which created some respiratory complications. When I came to, the first thing I asked was where you were and if you were okay. The Emperor informed me that you had died at my hand, and it was at that moment that I truly succumbed to the dark side and let it consume me. When I believed you were dead, I had nothing left to live for".

Padmé was shocked by his admission. She undoubtedly knew what believing he was responsible for her death would do to him, and that without her he lost all hope. Having little to say she simply responded, "I did not know that".

They finished their meal in relative silence before Anakin asked if she wanted to retire to the living area balcony for some fresh air. She happily agreed, hoping the fresh air would help clear her head. Padmé leaned out on the balcony ledge looking out at the bustling traffic across Coruscant. There was something therapeutic about watching the perfectly organised chaos that transpired outside, whilst she remained safely inside. But she reflected that she too was in the midst of chaos, and it needed fixing.

Anakin stood next to her, watching her as she looked out into the busy night sky. He watched as her shoulders gently rose and fell as she breathed, appreciating the simplest things about her being here next to him. He wanted to ask her something, something that had been burning inside of him to know since the moment he had seen her, but he did not know if it was too soon. He wanted to tell her how he truly felt as well so that she could understand why this was so important to him.

"Padmé, I want you to know how happy it has made me that you have come back into my life. I have been so consumed by darkness for the last 8 years that I have forgotten what it feels like to not be. But I want you to know that I have never forgotten about how much I loved you. I have always wanted to be the man who loved you forever, who protected you, who married you, who was the father of your children". He paused for a second before asking softly, "What happened to our child?".

Padmé had been expecting the question for some time but could not help but still be anxious when he finally said it. She had been conflicted about what she would say when this moment came, and even as she stood there next to him, she wasn't entirely sure how to respond. She wanted to tell him, she wanted to make his world brighter by telling him they had not one child, but two, and how incredible they are. She knew how central the twins could be to bringing Anakin back to the light side of the force, and that being a family was what she had always yearned for. But there was a tiny part of her that worried what telling him would do. If the Emperor was to find out there would be no doubt that he would see the children of Anakin Skywalker as a threat and would have them destroyed, or he could even try to turn them into his apprentices. Padmé would never want that for their children and had promised to always protect them from the Emperor. The decision that Padmé made now would be permanent, and she had to be sure. Truthfully, she wasn't sure how much of the dark side remained with Anakin, having only been with him for a few days. But already she had seen a huge change in him, and there was no part of her that doubted how much he loved her, and how much he would love the twins. At that moment she had decided.

Padmé exhaled slowly before replying, "I did not give birth to a child". She quickly saw the expression on Anakin's face sadden with disappointment. "I had two", she continued, tears filling her eyes. At this moment Anakin turned to Padmé a look of joy starting to form on his face. As they faced one another Padmé said, "I guess we were both right Anakin. We had twins, a boy and a girl".

Anakin was unsure how to react. He simply remained frozen still as he processed Padmé's words. Until a few days ago he had believed that he had killed Padmé and their unborn child on Mustafar. But now Padmé was alive, and she had given birth to twins. Realising he needed to say something he said, "Padmé, I, I, I can't believe it. You had twins. I, I'm a father".

Padmé smiled at him as a couple of tears rolled down her cheeks. She was overwhelmed by Anakin's reaction and could see how much this realisation meant to him. He was a father. At that moment, Anakin pulled Padmé in for a hug, unable to control his emotions of complete happiness and disbelief. As the initial shock started to be processed, Anakin then began to wonder where the twins were. They were obviously not on Coruscant with Padmé, but she had been acting as Senator Soruna for quite some time with no extended leaves of absence from Coruscant, so where were the twins and who was looking after them.

As his internal monologue of questions built up, Anakin then released Padmé from the hug before saying, "Where are the twins Padmé. I must meet them. I have to meet our children".

Padmé was not surprised by this statement and knew that once he found out the twins were alive; he would want to see them. It was a totally understandable reaction, but Padmé had to handle this with care. She could not just rush the twins here for Anakin to meet them. It was not safe for the twins to come to Coruscant, and Padmé doubted it was the best idea for Anakin to go to them on Naboo. The twins had been safe on Naboo for the last 8 years and it was essential that it remained that way. They would have to make alternative arrangements, and that would involve Anakin discovering the key role that Obi-Wan played in the upbringing of the twins, and Padmé knew that would create a significant degree of friction.

In an attempt to calm Anakin down she replied, "I do not think this is something we can rush into straight away Anakin. The twins believe their father is dead, and it will take a reasonable adjustment period. I also do not want to do anything that could compromise the safety of the location where they reside".

Confused by her refusal to let him see the twins Anakin responded, "Where are they Padmé and who is looking after them?"

"They are with Obi-Wan. He had helped me greatly with raising the twins and has helped to train and protect them from the Emperor", she replied, knowing he would not be happy with this revelation.

Anger filled Vader. He could not help but snap when he heard the name of the traitor Obi-Wan. He took a step towards Padmé and said, "You are telling me that our children are in the care of that traitor right now. They are with the man who tried to kill me. The man who left me mutilated and burning on the lava banks of Mustafar. Where are they Padmé, tell me", he shouted. At that moment the glasses on the table in the living room shattered loudly. Vader's anger had been channelled through the force and was physically destroying things around them. Padmé flinched at the sound of the shattering and could tell that he had snapped. For the first time since being with him, she felt scared and did not know what he was going to do. Terrified that his mood had changed so suddenly, she looked into his eyes and saw sith yellow eyes looking back at her. Hesitantly she took a step back from him, shaking her head and biting her bottom lip trying to hold back the tears.

At that moment Vader felt her fear and immediately knew that his anger had overwhelmed him, and he had reacted wrongly. In an attempt to apologise he softened his voice and slowly stepped forward before saying, "Padmé, I'm so sorry, I …". But his apology was too late, and Padmé fled the balcony before he had the chance to finish. As she ran down the corridor towards her bed chambers, she could not fight the tears that rolled down her cheeks any longer. Whilst he had not hurt her, this was the first time Padmé had seen the Vader inside of Anakin reveal itself, and she hated it. That was not the man she married or loved, and that was not the father of her children. She knew that her revelation about Obi-Wan caring for the twins would upset Anakin, as there was a lot of resentment and hurt held after all these years, but he had to learn to control it. Padmé knew that as soon as he had raised his voice and the glasses had shattered, he knew he had made a mistake, and he had attempted to apologise. But Padmé had to leave, she didn't want him to see her crying over him anymore and she didn't want him to know how much she feared the Vader inside him winning and him hurting her. What hurt her the most was that in that moment she was unsure what he was going to do, whether he was going to hurt her again. A big part of her knew that he never would again, not after all he had suffered thinking she had died at his hands. But the dark side consumed him and was the controlling force inside of him now. She would have to help change that. He had to break free from the dark side and its shackles in order to let in the light and begin to be Anakin Skywalker again.

Padmé loved him so much that it hurt, and he now knew about the twins. She had to stay strong and believe that she could bring Anakin back, but in order to do that she would have to let in the Vader part of Anakin, the part that had broken and nearly killed her.

As Padmé fled, Anakin was filled with instant regret. Why had he reacted like that? It was as though he had no control over it. He had been filled with such joy hearing that he and Padmé had not one child, but two. But then anger had consumed him when he heard Obi-Wan's name mentioned. Jealousy filled him at the thought that his old master was with his children and had denied him all these years with Padmé and the twins. He ran his human hand through his wavy hair as he stood on the balcony to calm down. He knew he needed to go and find Padmé and tell her how sorry he was for the way he had reacted. He had seen the fear in her eyes, and it made him sick that he had evoked those emotions in her again. He had seen her that way on the landing platform on Mustafar and her pained expression was burned into his memory and he had vowed if he ever had the chance, he would never make her feel like that again.


	12. Chapter 12 - Rekindling

Padmé had initially sought refuge in her chambers but had then had a sudden desire to go to the garden room. There was nowhere where she felt more at home and at peace than on Naboo, and Anakin had said she could visit the room whenever she wanted to. She composed herself before walking down the corridor towards the garden room, unsure where Anakin was. Since Anakin had shown her this room, she knew there was still good in him. He would never have created this room to remember Padmé if he had completely forgotten that part of himself. As much as he was Vader, he had never been able to let go of the part of him that loved Padmé, and that part meant he was not truly lost and could become Anakin Skywalker again. Padmé arrived at the door to the room and entered the code before closing the large metal door behind her. She felt so drawn to this place and was overwhelmed by its serenity and beauty. She held so many beautiful memories of this place. She had been born on Naboo and raised to serve its people and Queen and Senator. This was where she fell in love with Anakin and where they were married. And it was also where the twins now resided and where they had grown up. Despite all the chaos that had ensued, Padmé had been determined to give the twins the life she had always dreamed of giving her children. Now, there was a chance she could make that even better. The twins could have a father, and they could be a family and Padmé could be whole again.

Determined, Anakin walked quickly towards his private quarters. As he walked into his bed chambers he went into the far corner and knelt down on the floor near one of the panels on the wall. He closed his eyes and focused on the force. As he did the panel opened revealing a small black satin box inside. In the short time that Padmé had come back into Anakin's life, he had always intended with presenting her with a ring she truly deserved, a ring fit for a queen. He had not found the right time but knew that now more than ever was the time he wanted to prove to her how much he loved her. He had just discovered he was the father of two children, and he knew that this ring could symbolise his promise and commitment to her and them. He wanted them to be a family, but first, he had to ask. He placed the ring safely in his jacket pocket and exited his chambers and headed for the guest quarters, presuming Padmé would have retreated to her bed chambers.

Padmé sat in the meadows with her eyes closed. She took in the beautiful smells and the sounds playing off the waterfall and the quiet chirping birds. At that moment everything was perfect. She envisioned her, the twins and Anakin being back on Naboo, living in the lake country. She envisioned a galaxy where her family could live free from the threat and tyranny of the Emperor. She knew those visions were a long way away, but she hoped one day it could be a reality. But first, she had to start with Anakin. She had to make him realise the good in himself. She had to make him realise he was Anakin Skywalker.

As Anakin walked towards Padmé's chambers, he was puzzled that he could not feel her force signature within. Since they were reunited several days ago, he had been able to feel her presence everywhere. He could still feel her presence, but it wasn't in her chambers, it was emanating from another location. He soon realised where that location was and turned down the corridor to walk towards the garden room. He was not surprised that Padmé had gone there. It was likely where she felt safest and most at home. It reminded her of the things she loved most. Anakin realised it would make a more perfect setting for him to present Padmé with his gift. He found it odd that he was nervous to present his wife with a ring. He had been married at the age of 19, yet he was more nervous now than he ever remembered being then. When he arrived at the door, he could feel Padmé's force presence from within. He paused for a moment before entering slowly. When he entered the room, he saw Padmé sat down in the small meadow in the centre faced away from the door. He stood for a moment simply admiring her, as he could see her still beautifully styled soft brown hair from behind, as well as marvelling at how well her dress complimented the flowers that surrounded her.

Anakin knew he needed to test the water first. He knew he had hurt Padmé earlier and he needed to see whether she was okay with him being here. He took a couple of steps forward into the room before saying, "May I join you Padmé?".

She was a little startled to hear his voice but was not surprised to see he had found her and wanted to come and see her. She knew he had realised that his reaction upset her, and she appreciated he had come to see if she was okay. She nodded as she stood up from where she was sat and replied, "You may".

Relieved, Anakin walked down the meadow towards Padmé who was still facing away from him. His heart rate began to rise as his mind raced with all the things he wanted to say. He knew the needed to apologise for how appallingly he had reacted earlier and how sorry he was for scaring her. He needed her to understand how happy he was about her revelation and how excited he was to be a father. There was still so much to be said. There was so much he needed to make up for after 8 years, and truthfully, he wasn't sure that he ever would be able to. As his mind spun with thoughts, he came to stand next to Padmé. They stood for a few moments in silence, simply enjoying the view and the peaceful sounds around them.

Anakin knew this was his time. The last 8 years of his life had been building up to his moment where he would ask for forgiveness and promise to become the man, she had always wanted him to be. He knew he was not ready before and didn't believe he could ever be that man. But after losing Padmé he had sworn he would have done anything to be that man again. He had been given that chance and he would not waste it. Anakin took Padmé's hand softly and turned with her, so they were both facing one another. He ceased the moment of having her undivided attention and got down on one knee. Padmé appeared confused by his motion, but she did not speak.

Breaking the silence Anakin said, "Padmé, words cannot express how sorry I am for what happened earlier. My emotions overwhelmed me, and my anger was catalysed by your mention of Obi-Wan, who I harbour painful memories against. That does not justify how I reacted, and it pained me to see the way you looked at me and the way you retreated from me". Padmé did not say anything, but nodded at his comments, her lips folding over one another as she sought to control her emotions.

"Padmé, I have always dreamed of being the man you would marry, and the father of your children. At the young age of 19, I had the unimaginable privilege of marrying you, and now I have discovered I am the father of twins. There are not enough words in the galaxy to describe to you how lucky I feel to have such privileges", he continued. He saw tears glisten in the corners of Padmé's eyes as he reached into his jacket pocket and pull out the small black box. He opened up the box to reveal the beautiful ring within before saying, "When we were married, we were young and forced to keep our marriage a secret. I was a humble Jedi with no meaningful possessions, and I was not able to present you with a proper ring. There is no amount of money in the galaxy that could afford what you deserve, but I want to present this ring to you as my best attempt, and my promise to you to be the man who will love you unconditionally and forever".

Several tears had escaped Padmé's eyes as Anakin finished his speech. She was so overwhelmed by his words. She nodded her head again as Anakin placed the ring on her finger and it fit perfectly. She wiped away several of her tears before saying, "Anakin, I have always loved you and wanted to be you wife and the mother of your children. All I have ever wanted is your love". Anakin stood up slowly and took Padmé's hands in his as they shared a passionate but soft kiss. Anakin and Padmé had both been through so much, but one thing that had never changed was the way they felt about one another.

When the kiss ended Padmé looked down at the ring and said, "Anakin, it is so beautiful. But I don't need this ring. We are still married", she added. Anakin cupped her face and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear before replying, "I know you didn't need it. But you deserve it Padmé. You deserve more than I can ever give you. I needed you to know how sorry I am for everything that has happened, and how happy it has made me to have you and now the twins in my life. You and the twins are my life now Padmé, and I will do everything I can to protect you all, I promise you".

Padmé processed his words before asking, "But, what about the Emperor. If he was to discover I am alive he would surely have me killed. And Anakin if he finds out about the twins he will try and take them from us, he might …", she said starting to panic. Anakin placed a hand on her face soothingly and said, "Have faith, my love, nothing will happen to them. I will never let any harm come to you or the twins. You are my life and my mission is to protect you. I cannot lose you again Padmé, it would kill me", he said. He took Padmé in a gentle embrace before adding, "But we will not worry about the Emperor tonight. I have just got you back Padmé. I want us to enjoy this time together without any interference. You will be safe here I promise. But tonight, I want us to pretend that all is well in the galaxy. I want us to pretend we are untouchable here in this meadow". Anakin stroked her hair softly as they remained in the embrace. Anakin wished they could stay like this forever, just the two of them in each other's arms forever. He knew that he would have to return to the Emperor as Vader once his leave ended, and it was likely that Padmé would need to return as Senator Soruna. But they would worry about that tomorrow, he wanted tonight to be just about them.

As they stood embracing in the centre of the meadow Anakin said, "I think you should get some rest Padmé. You have been under a lot of physical and mental strain these last few days, and you need rest to recover properly. I shall escort you back to your room". Padmé mumbled what Anakin assumed was a reply, but he knew she was exhausted from recent events. Bravely, Anakin decided to pick Padmé up in his strong arms, as her arms wrapped around his neck naturally. Padmé then moved and said, "No, Anakin your shoulder. You are wounded".

Anakin smiled, knowing she remembered about his injury, but he replied, "Don't worry Padmé, it is all healed. I am a lot stronger than I used to be" he added.

"Are you saying I'm a lot heavier than I used to be", Padmé responded back wittily.

Anakin laughed before saying, "Not at all. You are just as gorgeous as I remember", he replied confidently. "But I think your hair weighs quite a lot", he added with a smile.

"Mmhmm", Padmé said into Anakin's shoulder as he carried her up towards her bed chambers. He tried to concentrate as the smell of her hair and the softness of her skin intoxicated him. She truly was like a drug to him, and he was completely addicted. He was surprised how familiar everything about his wife felt to him, considering they had been apart for the last 8 years. All too soon they arrived back at Padmé's quarters and Vader placed her down on the bed. Padmé said she was just going to change for bed and remove her makeup. Anakin nodded, unsure whether she was expecting him to leave at this point, but he wanted to bid her goodnight before he departed, so decided to wait until she emerged from the fresher.

Padmé stood in the fresher removing her makeup and washing her face. She caught a glimpse of the gleaming ring on her finger and smiled joyfully. It wasn't about the physical ring, but it was about what Anakin had said. Padmé knew what he had said had come from the heart and it was so pure. The feelings he had for her and the desire for them to be a family and for him to protect her and the twins were what drove her to continue to seek the good in him. She was more confident than ever that he could be saved, and that as time went on the part of him that was Anakin Skywalker would get stronger, and the dark side of him would fade away.

When she emerged from the fresher in her nightdress she was relieved to see Anakin was still stood there. He was stood rather formally by the door with his hands behind his back. She smiled at him as he took a step forward and said, "I just wanted to stay to wish you goodnight Padmé and tell you that tonight has been the best night of my life. I cannot tell you how happy you have made me, and I cannot wait to meet our children and for us to be a family".

Padmé smiled and replied, "I love you so much Anakin, and I hope that with the help of me and the twins we can bring you back to the light. I always knew there was still good in you".

Anakin nodded in response, slightly unsure of how to reply. He then turned to depart her room but halted when he heard Padmé say, "You can stay with me if you would like. I know how lonely it is when you feel as though you are the only person in the whole establishments. I would be grateful for the company".

Anakin did his best to hold back the huge smile that was painted on his face before replying, "If that is what you wish, I would be happy to oblige". He took off his boots, socks, jacket and shirt, before walking towards the opposite side of the bed to Padmé. They slipped into bed next to one another, like a pair of nervous teenagers and exchanged soft smiles. As they lay down next to one another Padmé could not resist moving so her head was laying on Anakin's chest with his arm wrapped gently around her.

"Goodnight Anakin", Padmé said, closing her eyes, clearly exhausted.

"Goodnight Angel", Anakin replied, as he too closed his eyes.

The sun shone brightly through the curtains, bringing Padmé from her peaceful slumber. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept so well. She rubbed her eyes gently and rolled onto her side. She was surprised to see the bed was empty and Anakin was nowhere to be seen. She realised he had made his side of the bed. He had always done that when he had left for the Jedi Temple early in the morning if he had stayed at her apartment. She smiled reminiscing how his habits had not changed. Padmé threw back the covers on her side of the bed and got out of bed. She reached for her dress robe and wrapped it around herself as she departed her chambers, deciding to go and find Anakin. Padmé ran a hand through her curls as she made her way to the kitchen, where she was not surprised to see the golden droid C3PO standing.

He looked up and greeted her saying, "Good morning Miss Padmé. I must say you look a lot better this morning, I trust you are well-rested".

Padmé smiled at the droid and said, "Yes thank you Threepio, I am feeling much better. Where is Anakin? Is he here?", she asked him, trying to not sound so eager to see him.

"I believe he is still in the gymnasium My Lady. He is in there a lot practising and training", he responded. "Is there anything I can get for you Miss Padmé?", he asked.

Wanting to go and see Anakin, Padmé replied, "No thank you Threepio. I think I'll go and find Anakin if he is still in the gymnasium. Can you point me in the right direction? I still haven't quite managed to establish my bearings yet", she asked not knowing which way to go and didn't want to waste her time getting lost.

"Of course, My Lady. If you continue straight down this corridor in front of you and go all the way to the end you will come to an elevator. The gymnasium is on the ground floor".

"Thank you Threepio", Padmé replied. She then left the kitchen and walked down the long corridor towards the rear of the establishments and towards the elevator. Padmé had not yet seen this part of the establishments and truly appreciate the grandeur of the place. Anakin had said he did not spend much time here, and she knew it was likely he simply retired here to rest, eat and train. That pretty much summed up a lot of his life, as both Anakin and Vader. He resided in the temple, or at Padmé's when he could get away. But otherwise, he was training or was fighting away on missions, and occasionally he was eating. Anakin had always had a big appetite Padmé remembered, although it now appeared, he did not eat for pleasure, merely a necessity. Padmé reached the elevator and got in, selecting the button down to the ground floor where she hoped she would find Anakin.

Anakin was pushing himself as hard as he could. Every time he held back in a training session and didn't give it everything was a chance that someone could be more powerful than him and beat him. Now more than ever he had the motivation to be the strongest and most powerful man in the galaxy. His sabre skills and fitness had always been good even as a Jedi, but he had better developed and refined his skills in the last 8 years. He had learnt to make every movement count and always act with decision and deliberately. His armour was heavy, and he wasn't as agile in it as he was without. It had its benefits of course. With his full mask and suit, he stood taller and his vital functions were enhanced through the mechanics in his suit and he had enhanced peripheral and night vision. However, his recent encounter on Kessel had proven that he wasn't blaster proof, and most critically to Vader, he was not immune to sith lightning, and if administered in large doses it could prove fatal to him, overriding his respiratory mechanics and causing breathing failure. The Emperor had gotten close once before but had conceded the torture just before it was too late. It frustrated Anakin that he was made to be so weak. But he could use this to his advantage. The Emperor was not aware of the extent that his respiratory systems had recovered and believed he was much more dependent on his suit. This was a fact Anakin wished to keep a secret because he knew when the time came, he would overpower the Emperor without his suit and mask on. He would kill the Emperor; he would look into his eyes and watch as the life left his eyes and he drew his last breath. The Emperor would meet his end at the hands of Anakin Skywalker.

Anakin drew his focus back to the training droids in front of him. They were shooting at him from various directions and he was deflecting all the shots with his blade masterfully. He had set the levels to increase in difficulty as he progressed through his session. As time went on, he felt his heart pump faster and his shoulders burn as the pressure from the excess weight in his armour and the advancing speed of the blast shots continued. Anakin pushed through calling on the force to focus his attention and predict the blaster shots so he could move to deflect them before they hit him. When the droids ceased firing, he knew he had completed all the set levels. Feeling accomplished Anakin removed his helmet and stripped of his heavy armoured suit. That had been the first good session he had done in several days, and he knew he needed it since his embarrassing departure on Kessel. Wanting to push himself more, Anakin took off his damp shirt to cool off and started doing a circuit of pull-ups and press-ups.

Padmé exited the elevator and headed towards the large glass doors. She couldn't hear anything inside so wondered whether she had maybe missed him. As the doors opened, she saw Anakin in the far corner of the gymnasium doing pull-ups. He was facing away from the door and was clearly very engrossed in his workout, so it was unlikely he knew she was standing there. Padmé stood for a moment admiring her husband. He had always had a muscular physique, but over the last 8 years, Anakin had grown even more into a man and appeared to be every stronger. As he pulled his tall frame up each repetition, she could see his large muscles tense. She had always been attracted to Anakin physically, but a part of her had forgotten how intimate their physical connection was, as well as their emotional connection. Anakin finished doing pull-ups and dropped down onto the floor to do press-ups. Padmé was amazed at how he was continuing to work out, wondering how long he had been down here. She knew he had to train hard, and he was a highly-skilled fighter, and he was also so strong with the force. He was the chosen one.

As Padmé got side-tracked by her thoughts Anakin completed his push-ups and turned around a little surprised to see Padmé stood just inside the glass doors, observing him from afar. He walked towards her slowly, calling a drink and a towel to his hand. He wiped the sweat from his face as he came to meet Padmé in the middle of the gymnasium. He smiled and looked at her a little smugly before asking, "How long had you been stood their gawming My Lady?".

Padmé raised an eyebrow at his comment, before hitting his stomach playfully and replying, "I was not gawming, and I had not been stood here long. Threepio said you were here and I have never been to this part of the establishments so I wanted to see it". Padmé had made a point to answer in her senatorial tone, as her eyes were drawn straight in front of her to see Anakin's muscular chest and the beads of sweat that shone on his abdominals as he continued to inhale and exhale heavily.

"Oh really. Is that why you can't stop looking at my chest now huh", Anakin said playfully. He turned around and reached for his sabre attaching it to the hilt of his trousers. As he turned Padmé could not help but see the scars on his back again. It was a painful reminder to her of what they had both suffered at the hands of the Emperor. Trying to take her mind off the pain, she smiled at his flirtatious comment and remarked, "Are you teasing me?"

Anakin laughed and replied, "No, I would be much too frightened to tease a Senator".

Padmé walked past him and towards the back of the gym, inspecting what equipment he had. Following her, Anakin said, "I'm not sure much of this will interest you. However, I do have a swimming pool, just through those doors there if you want to do some exercise. I remember how much you liked to swim", he added directing her to the left where the pool was.

The thought of a swim was very appealing to Padmé. Since her interrogation, she had felt quite physically exhausted, but she felt a swim would be a chance for her to do some less physically intensive, but she also wanted to get herself moving again. "Yes, indeed that would be great, I would certainly love to have a swim. Although I don't have a swimming costume with me", she realised.

Deciding to push his luck Anakin teased, "Well, there is not a strict swimming costume rule, but if you feel the desperate need to wear one, I am certain you will find a few in your chambers to choose from". He had taken the liberty of stocking Padmé's room with anything she may need. He knew it was likely she would want to swim at some point, so had ordered clothing suitable for her to do so.

Smiling at his bravery Padmé replied, "Well that is hugely appreciated. And who knows I may feel the need to go in with extra layers in case it is cold".

Anakin quickly responded with, "No need my lady, the pool is heated".

Not saying anything to his quick and witty response, Padmé undid the tie on her dress robe revealing her silk pyjamas underneath and said, "In that case, I shall retreat to my chambers to change".

As Padmé walked out of the gymnasium, Anakin could not help but be impressed. Padmé had taken his teases well and then beaten him at his own game. He ran a hand through his sweaty locks as he turned the lights out in the gymnasium and walked towards his chambers to have a cold shower.


	13. Chapter 13 - Disruption

When Padmé got back to her quarters, she walked over to her dressing table and opened each draw, in a search for the swimming costumes Anakin had informed her were there. She found them in the middle drawer and pulled out the 3 she found and laid them out on the bed, so she could choose which she wanted to wear. There was a royal blue costume, which clasped at the back. A simple black suit with silver embroidery around the neckline, and a white suit which tied at the back. Padmé knew which one she wanted to choose. She wanted to make an impression on her husband, an impression to show him she would not be beaten. He had attempted to tease her in the gymnasium, and she wasn't going to let him win. He may have been sweaty and shirtless earlier, but she was going to return the favour, and she was going to do one better. Padmé picked up the white suit and walked over to the fresher to change. She brushed her medium length hair softly, keeping her natural curls light. She removed her ring not wanting to risk losing or damaging it. Content that she had picked her battle outfit, she departed the fresher, with a towel wrapped around her.

When she arrived at the pool, she was slightly surprised to see Anakin not laid in waiting for her. She anticipated that after he had suggested she go that he would be there waiting to catch her taking the opportunity, but obviously not. She presumed that most likely he had gone for a shower, following his workout, and that maybe he would join her afterwards.

Anakin stood in the cold shower, rinsing his hair thoroughly. He had tested the water back there with Padmé and she had taken it well. He knew it was likely she had gone down to the pool, having taken up his offer for a swim. He wanted to go and join her but did not want to appear desperate. He could not let her win by thinking he was so keen to see her. But truthfully, he was eager to go down to the pool and see which costume his wife had selected. When he had chosen them, he was unsure exactly what she would like, so had gone for several colours and styles so she would have at least one she liked and would wear. Although Anakin did also reflect that maybe if she didn't like any of them, she would still choose to swim, just select a braver option of attire. Realising his mind was running away from him, he got out of the shower and dried himself off. He then slipped into some swim shorts and walked down towards the pool.

Padmé had forgotten how nice it was to swim. She had had the luxury of being able to swim a little with the twins in the lake on Naboo. But she usually spent all of her time watching them and teaching them that she had little time to swim herself. She swam several laps up and down the pool slowly, enjoying the relaxing feeling of the warm water on her recovering muscles. Padmé lay calmly floating on the surface of the water, simply enjoying the tranquillity of the stillness. This tranquillity was then broken by a huge force crashing into the water next to her. She felt the water crash on top of her, pulling her under, as she was then lifted up out of the water, and she realised she was in Anakin's arms.

Anakin could not hold back the laughter, as Padmé shouted, "Anakin, that was not funny. You could have drowned me".

Gently he lifted Padmé around to face him, wrapping his arms around her waist, as her legs naturally wrapped around him. "I would never do anything to harm you Padmé. But the element of surprise was too much to resist. And you are irresistible", he added seductively.

Sensing his attempted seduction Padmé unwrapped her legs from him and pushed to swim away from him saying, "Well you interrupted my peaceful swim. So, I shall continue".

"Okay then I shall join you", Anakin said, intent on beating her at her game. He noticed she had selected the white suit. It was certainly the most revealing of the suits available, and Anakin assumed it had been selected deliberately.

Deciding she needed to play her cards better, Padmé swam to the edge of the pool, and slowly got out. She knew exactly what she was doing, and she needed to gain the upper hand.

Anakin couldn't help but be drawn to Padmé as she got out the side of the pool. The suit fitted her petite body perfectly, flattering her waist, and was just fitted enough to show enough of her bottom to not be too revealing in a perfect balance. Padmé pulled her wet and tousled hair to one side. She then turned to Anakin, checking her intended impression had been made, before diving in at the other end of the pool.

Anakin smiled with determination. He was enticed by the game they were now playing. He wanted to win her over. He wanted her, he wanted his wife in that beautiful costume, and he was going to get her. Following her lead, Anakin pushed himself out of the pool and dived back in on the side Padmé had begun swimming in again. His loud and messy dive had certainly informed Padmé he was behind her, but she didn't mind. She knew her trick had given her the upper hand, and now he was chasing her, she had won. Before Padmé knew it, she felt two large hands take her waist slowly. He turned her body around, so they were facing one another before saying, "I don't believe I have had the chance to tell you how divine you look in that costume. It is certainly my second favourite of the available options", he added.

Slightly confused Padmé asked, "Second favourite?"

Anakin nodded and smiled before replying, "Yes. Well, it is my favourite costume. But not my favourite clothing option".

Padmé splashed water at him and said, "Ahh and here I was thinking I had just chosen the wrong costume".

He wiped the water from his face and pulled her closer into him, their bodies almost touching and said, "No. It wouldn't have mattered which you chose Padmé. Any would have made me weak at the knees". At that moment he cupped her face in his hands and brought his lips down to hers in a passionate kiss. Padmé's responded to the kiss with equal passion, her desire matching his. Feeling it in the moment Anakin lifted Padmé so she was wrapped around his waist again and locked in an even more passionate kiss. When they broke for breath Anakin said, "I love you so much Padmé. Words cannot even describe what you have done to me, how much you have changed my life over the last few days knowing you are alive. Knowing you have given me two children".

Padmé smiled back at Anakin and replied, "I love you too Anakin. I have always believed there was good in you and have prayed you will come back to us. I can feel that hope."

As Padmé was wrapped around Anakin her hands felt the scars on his back, the deepness of them paining her as she ran her fingers softly over them. Anakin knew what she was doing but didn't know exactly what to say.

"Do they hurt?", Padmé asked softly.

Anakin paused for a second before saying, "No. They have healed over now, so they remain as scars. Truthfully the physical pain was insignificant compared to the mental torture I endured. The scar reminded me of what I had done, and the Emperor burned that not only on my body but into my mind. He knew that my feelings for you and what I had done would push me further down this path. I could never forgive myself for what I had done, and my master was never going to let me forget it".

Padmé could not help but be saddened by what he had said. She couldn't imagine how many times the Emperor had burned him to leave him with such deep scars of her name. But clearly it was the mental damage that he had inflicted that was so much more serious. She knew if Anakin was going to return to the light side, he would have to learn to forgive himself, for all he had done as Vader, and especially what he had done to her. Padmé knew the first step of him forgiving himself was him to realise she had forgiven him. Slowly, Padmé moved her legs from around Anakin and looked into crystal blue eyes, now standing in the pool in front of him. Keeping her hands on him, she moved around to face his back, so she could see his scars properly. Anakin did not know what she was doing but kept still. As Padmé's fingers delicately traced the scars which spelt her name, she leant in and kissed them softly. Each time Padmé moved to kiss a different part of his scarred back and moved up as high as she could. She then placed her hands around his waist and turned him to face her.

"I know those scars will remain there forever Anakin. But I want them to mean something different. To you, they have served as a constant reminder of what you lost me and believed you had killed me on Mustafar. I now want them to serve as a reminder of when you got me back, of when I forgave you for what you had done because I love you. I want you to come back to me Anakin, and to do that you need to forgive yourself for what you did, and that starts with knowing I forgive you. You can let go of that pain and regret and let in the love and happiness I want to share with you", Padmé said, looking up into Anakin's eyes, as both of their eyes filled with tears.

Trying to compose himself, Anakin replied, "Padmé, I know I do not deserve your forgiveness, and I cannot begin to comprehend how you have managed to forgive me for what I did to you. I will never forget what I did that day and what it felt like to lose you and believe you had died at my hand for all those years. But I promise you I will do everything in my power to make your gift of forgiveness worthwhile. I promise I will love and protect you and our children with my life, forever and always".

Padmé was overwhelmed with emotion and didn't have any words to reply. She simply reached her arms around him and embraced him softly. Anakin returned her embrace passionately, as she leant his face into the crook of her neck and thanked the force for being given a second chance at a life with Padmé. They stayed in the warm embrace for several moments, neither of them wanting to break the tender moment they had shared. Padmé knew her and Anakin had made a huge step in bringing him back to the light. She had forgiven him and given him her love, and she knew from his reaction how much he treasured those gifts, and what it meant for him to have her back with him.

Their beautiful moment was suddenly broken as C3PO walked in through the glass doors and said, "I am so sorry to disturb you Master and Miss Padmé, but Sir I am afraid there had been a data breach in the establishments. Someone had attempted to infiltrate the security network". Reacting to Threepio's words, Anakin quickly swam to the edge of the pool and pushed himself out.

"I will go to my office now and see what the problem is. That kind of breach should not be possible here. Please escort Padmé back to her chambers Threepio and ensure she is safe and has everything she needs". Before departing the room, Anakin looked back at Padmé and said, "I will come and see you once I have sorted this issue, Angel". Padmé smiled and nodded before he swiftly left the pool room. Getting out of the pool herself, Padmé wrapped her small body in a towel and started to dry off her dripping hair. Turning to the golden droid she asked, "Do you think everything will be okay, Threepio?"

C3PO began to walk alongside Padmé as she left the pool room and replied, "Master Anakin has always been excellent with mechanics and problem-solving. I do not doubt his ability. He will fix the problem I am sure Miss Padmé". Knowing Threepio was right and Anakin was highly skilled, she still worried about it. Who could possibly be trying to infiltrate the security network of Darth Vader? Could it have something to do with her disappearance, where the Rebellion attempting to extract information about her whereabouts from Vader's network? Padmé's mind raced with questions as she made her way back to her chambers, to have a warm shower and wash her hair.

Having heard Threepio's brief report he was unsure what to expect when he reached his office. He had quickly stopped at his chambers to put on a shirt and pair of trousers, as he didn't like the idea of sitting down to deal with this while he was damp. As he ran a hand through his hair quickly, he opened up his screens and ran a test to establish what the problem was. Anakin had set up the security system to automatically shut down if someone attempts to hack the system. This had worked and the system was now locked from his central control panel. But Anakin wanted to know what had caused the system to shut down and what information they had been looking for. As the system ran a series of checks that Anakin was programming in, he could see that the focus of the hijack was on the security system that monitored the cameras inside the establishments. The cameras were not everywhere, but Anakin had installed several near entrances to his establishments and at the end of the main corridor leading from one side of the property to the other. He wondered why someone specifically would have wanted to have access to the cameras. It was likely the hacker knew who's network they were accessing, so they were not looking for Vader on those cameras. Was it possible that the Rebellion had attempted to hack Vader's system to see whether Padmé was there? Anakin concluded that it was quite possible they had tried to do so. Senator Soruna had been missing from the Senate for 3 days now. If word had got back to the Rebellion about this, then it didn't surprise him that they had attempted to discover where she was and if she was alive. When the program had completed its scan, Anakin viewed the report on his screen. He could see that several attempts had been made to access the security camera files, but that they had withdrawn their attempts once the system had shut down and a tracker had been placed. Clearly, whoever they were they did not want to be caught.

Anakin reprogrammed the security system to relaunch, adding an additional layer of security biometrically. That way if anyone attempted to access the security system, they would have to pass a biometric fingerprint scanner. Anakin knew now more than ever this was necessary. He could not have anyone knowing that Padmé resided in his establishments, for her own protection. Once the system had been set up, he closed down his screens and headed to go and find Padmé. He wanted to tell her what he had discovered, and he knew she probably wouldn't be very surprised to discover the Rebellion had attempted to hack the system to find her. Anakin knew he needed to return to his duties tomorrow, but he also knew that this would present itself with new challenges regarding Padmé's safety.

Padmé walked out the fresher, feeling refreshed after her swim, and her talk with Anakin. She wondered how long he would be dealing with the security issue, but she was sure he would come to her when he was done as he said. Walking over to the full-length mirror, Padmé turned to the side so she could tie a bow in the back of the dress she had chosen to put on. It was one of the more casual dresses that had been gifted to her from the designer. It was a simple black dress, that came to just above the knee, and was fastened in a bow at the back. She then tied her hair up, keeping her natural curls showing in a casual bun to keep it out of the way as it dried. Just as Padmé had finished doing her hair, she heard a knock at the door. Knowing who it was Padmé shouted, "Come in".

At that moment the door opened, and Anakin walked in. He wore a black t-shirt and navy pants, and his hair was still damp as he walked to stand by Padmé who was sat at her vanity table. "I was able to identify the problem and reboot the security system. I have processes in place for the system to shut down when an attack on the system is attempted. I am confident they acquired no data. The hacker appeared to be had concentrated their system breach on acquiring access to the security cameras in the establishments", Anakin reported, curious to know what Padmé thought about this.

Padmé paused for a moment, processing what Anakin had said before replying, "I think it was the Alliance. It is likely that Bail and Mon have noticed my disappearance, or even know about the arrest and are searching for me. If they know I was detained by Vader, I am not surprised this is the first place they tried to check".

"It is critical for your safety that we managed this situation with a great degree of care", Anakin said. "I must return to the Senate tomorrow, as the days of granted leave I received are over. I need to return to my duties as Vader", he added.

Padmé knew that he would be returning soon. She saw this as an excellent opportunity for her to return to the Senate as well. The longer she was gone, the more attention it would draw. Right now, it was unlikely that anyone except Bail and Mon had noticed she had been gone and had searched for her. If she returned now, she could continue her work in the Senate, and she could contact Obi-Wan and the twins. Padmé stood from her seat and replied, "I think it is time I return to the Senate as well. I do not want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself by having a prolonged period of leave."

Anakin was not surprised by her statement but questioned, "Padmé, are you sure you are fully recovered to return to the Senate? It was a serious ordeal you endured not more than three days ago. I do not want to compromise your safety. If I leave for the Senate, you can stay here in my establishments and you will be completely safe I promise you".

"I feel much better and it is incredibly important I return to the Senate Anakin. I have a job to do. And I will be under the best possible protection", she added, knowing it was likely he would still be assigned to her protection by the Emperor.

Anakin knew he could protect her in the Senate, as she was right, Senator Soruna was still under the protection of Vader. But he couldn't help but reply, "Padmé, you say you have a job to do. You work for the Rebel Alliance and I am second in command of the Empire. How am I supposed to facilitate that?"

Padmé knew this would be an issue. For 8 years they had been two sides of the same coin; Black Widow and Darth Vader, The Alliance and the Empire. How could she now return to the Alliance, who just days ago had plotted to kill Vader? She could not let Anakin die, but she couldn't stand by Anakin as Vader and support him either. She took a step towards Anakin, before saying, "I know it seems like we are on two different sides. But Anakin we want the same thing, we want peace and we want the Emperor dead. Help me do that. Help me and the Alliance to destroy the Emperor and bring peace to the Galaxy, like we always wanted".

Anakin took Padmé's hands in his and stated, "I know it seems that way Padmé. But it is not that simple for me. The Emperor had control of everything, he has control of the military, except the 501st legion, he has control of the Senate. I cannot simply turn against all of that instantly. Right now, I am uncertain I am strong enough to defeat the Emperor, and with you and the twins alive I am more vulnerable than ever Padmé, don't you see that."

Padmé could hear the genuine concern in his voice. She knew how much he cared for her and the twins and his priority was their safety. She stood thinking for a moment before she said, "Why don't you help us in a different way. You can feed us information. You can serve the Rebel Alliance whilst maintaining your cover as Vader. I can be the intermediary between you and the Alliance".

"Padmé that will put you in a lot of danger, and I can't let anything happen to you. Yes, I will be in the Senate, but I can't be there to protect you every second if I am called into a meeting or even off-world. I can't let any harm come to you Padmé", he said his voice pained with desperation.

"Anakin don't you see this is the best way to protect me. Right now, the biggest threat to me and the twins is the Emperor. If he discovered I was alive he would kill me and if he found out about the twins he would try and turn them into Sith's and destroy them. If you can help the Alliance, we can destroy the Emperor and we will all be safe, and we can live happily together as a family. Anakin that's all I want", she said pleading with him.

"If you return to the Senate you must promise me you will be careful who you trust. When you return, I imagine Senator Organa and Mothma will want to know what happened to you. I am not ignorant enough to assume they are unaware of my identity, so will not be completely surprised to see you have returned safely. I will speak to the trooper who was responsible for you care, as he was informed that you had been detained, so he will now have to be informed it was an unjustified arrest and you have been reinstated with full credentials under my protection", he said, considering every element of the plan, seeing if he had left anything out.

Padmé nodded, agreeing with his plan and replied, "I think it is also important I contact Obi-Wan. He will be desperate to know that I am okay, and I think I need to speak to the twins".

Anakin had been wanting to ask again about seeing his children but had not found the right moment. He then decided to cease it as a topic of conversation and said, "For your safety, I think it will be better if you contact him from a frequency here. Everything is encrypted and there is no chance of the line being intercepted. It would also mean the world to me if I could hear our children's voices Padmé".

Padmé smiled, acknowledging that Anakin was willing to put aside his hatred for Obi-Wan so that she could talk to him and their children safely. She also knew he was undoubtedly eager to speak to his children. Padmé replied saying, "I know how much they will appreciate knowing I am safe, thank you. And I know how hard it must be for you to not be able to see the twins yet, but their safety is my priority and we must do this to ensure the Emperor does not find out about them. If we call, I can tell them about you over the comm, and you can speak to them. We can see about arranging to go and visit them because I know how much they will want to meet their father and how much you want to meet them".

"Thank you, Padmé. I can't tell you how much it means to me knowing I'm going to be able to speak to our children", Anakin replied happily. "Do you have the comm frequency for Obi-Wan's comm, so we can contact him?", Anakin asked her, doing his best to hide the bitterness in his voice at the mention of his old master. The pair walked together out of Padmé's bed chambers and towards Anakin's office where he was sure a secure comm signal could be achieved for the call. Knowing Padmé needed time to talk to Obi-Wan and explain the situation to him, Anakin said, "I shall give you time to speak to him alone. I am sure he will have his reservations and lots of questions. I will wait outside for you to call me in". Padmé smiled truly appreciating the gesture of giving her the privacy to talk to Obi-Wan and she deduced it was likely he did not want to hear Obi-Wan's voice either. She nodded in acknowledgement of his statement as they walked down the corridor towards his office. Anakin opened the door, scanning his hand on a panel on the wall as it flashed green and granted them access. He reached inside one of the draws of his desk and pulled out a communication transmitter. He placed it on the table before saying, "This comm will link to any frequency you input, and it is entirely encrypted. If you need anything, I will be outside", he added.


	14. Chapter 14 - Dedication

Padmé grabbed his hand softly before he left, and said, "Thank you, Anakin". He nodded before walking out, closing the door behind him. Padmé took a deep breath before entering Obi-Wan's comm frequency. She waited as the device beeped repeatedly as it reached out to find the signal. Seconds later, Padmé was relieved to hear Obi-Wan's voice across the line answering the comm.

"Obi-Wan, it's Padmé", she said quickly.

There was a brief second of silence, likely a combination of Obi-Wan's shock and relief before he replied, "Padmé. You are alive. I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear your voice, myself and Senator Organa have been so worried. He informed me you had been detained at the Senate by Vader. I have to admit I feared the worst".

"Yes, I am perfectly fine Obi-Wan. I know everything. I know Darth Vader is Anakin. He didn't know I was alive either. When he found out he took me into his protection and has been looking after me. You lied to me Obi-Wan", she said and she couldn't help but feel a little hurt when she did.

"Padmé are you with him now?", Obi-Wan asked sounding shocked and concerned. "Padmé, I lied to you to keep you and twins safe. After what he did to you on Mustafar I …"

Padmé interrupted him and said, "I know what he has done. I do not need to be reminded. But Obi-Wan he is changing. There is still good in him. I can bring him back. The love he has for me and twins is so strong. We can bring back Anakin Skywalker", she said positively.

"You told him about the twins?", he asked accusingly.

Padmé stood up straight and defensively said, "He has the right to know Obi-Wan, he is their father. You know I would never do anything to threaten the twins, and I know Anakin will help us protect them against the Emperor. He has said he will help us Obi-Wan; he will help us defeat the Emperor and bring peace to the galaxy. I need you to trust me Obi-Wan. I do not want to do this without you, because I am so grateful for all you have done for me and the twins for the last 8 years. But if I don't have your support, I must do what I have to for my family. I know you and Anakin have a lot of history and there is a lot of pain there. But if he is willing to put that in the past for me and the twins, then I will ask the same of you", she said in her most senatorial voice.

Obi-Wan paused for a moment. After what had happened on Mustafar, Obi-Wan believed Anakin was beyond redemption and had been consumed by Vader. But he had saved Padmé's life and was now committed to protecting her. He had to believe Padmé was correct in her judgement. Obi-Wan knew that Anakin had always been deeply loyal, and he knew that if he loved Padmé and the twins the way Padmé claimed, then he would do anything for them. Perhaps he truly was the chosen one. He then replied, "I must respect your decision Padmé. All I've ever wanted is to ensure you and the twins are safe".

Padmé smiled before saying, "I know Obi-Wan and I will always be so grateful for that. I want us to all be able to work together, and maybe when all of this is over you and Anakin can try and solve your problems", she said hopefully. "Are Luke and Leia around?", Padmé asked a little nervously. She still wasn't exactly sure how she was going to tell them about Anakin. When the twins were younger, she had explained how their father had been a brave Jedi knight and had been killed by a bad man. But now she would have to tell them he was alive.

"Yes. I am sure they would love to speak to you", Obi-Wan stated, breaking Padmé from her thoughts. The comm went silent for a few seconds before Padmé hurt rustling and two excited voices getting closer to the comm.

"Mummy we have missed you so much. Why have you been away for so long? Obi-Wan said you had to work extra hard and he didn't know when you will see us", Leia said down the comm. "Yeah mummy, we have missed your cuddles and swimming with you. When are you coming home?", Luke asked. Padmé's eyes filled with tears at the sound of the twin's voices. Trying to keep it together she replied, "Mummy is so happy to hear your voices. I have missed you two so much and I am going to try and come home from work and see you as soon as I can.".

"Yeah mummy come home, and we can have a party", Leia said excitedly.

"Mummy is actually calling because she has something very important to tell you. Remember what I told you about your daddy?", she asked the twins hesitantly.

"You said daddy was a Jedi like Obi-Wan and a bad man killed him. But he loved us", Luke said remembering the stories Padmé had told them when she had been able to talk about him.

"Yes, Luke that's right. Well, mummy was wrong, and daddy survived the fight. Your daddy is here with mummy now and he would love to speak to you. Is that okay?", she asked, knowing this must be confusing for them.

"Mummy that is so cool. We can be a family. Me, Luke, you, daddy and Obi-Wan", Leia said happily.

Padmé smiled and walked over to the office door and opened it for Anakin who was stood anxiously outside. As Anakin followed her in, Padmé placed the comm back down on the table and said, "Luke and Leia do you want to say hello to your daddy?"

The twins were so keen to talk to their father, they replied in unison, "Hello daddy."

Anakin's face lit up when he heard their voices and softly said, "Hello Luke and Leia. It makes me so happy to talk to you. I love you both and your mummy so much. I hope I can see you soon".

The twins giggled with happiness at Anakin's response and Leia said, "Yes you have to come with mummy, and we can have a party".

"You can make mummy happy again daddy. She had been very sad a lot without you", Luke said honestly.

Padmé exchanged a look with Anakin unsure how to respond to her son's candour. Anakin cleared his throat and spoke to his son and said, "Well Luke I am here now to make you, your sister and mummy very happy forever, and look after you and keep you safe. I have been very sad without you two and your mummy. But we will be a family soon. I love you both so much", he added again, still unable to completely believe he was speaking to his and Padmé's children.

Padmé spoke up and said, "Right you little munchkins you better get to sleep and be good for Obi-Wan. Daddy and I will call you every day and we will come and see you very soon. I love you both". Realising the call was nearly over Anakin said, "Listen to your mother you two and have a lovely sleep". Padmé smiled at his response before the twins excitedly said, "Okay mummy and daddy. Come home soon so we can have a family hug", the twins said together.

They then ran off, leaving the comm to be answered by Obi-Wan. He waited a second before saying, "Stay safe please Padmé. I know Senator Organa will be most pleased to see you are okay. I know how much the twins want to see you, and I am certain they are keen to meet their father. Come home soon", he added.

"We shall Obi-Wan. Thank you so much for looking after the twins. I promise this will be over soon.", Padmé said hope filling her voice.

Anakin knew that he and Obi-Wan had a lot of history, both good and bad. But as Padmé had said to him, in order for him to return to the light he needed to forgive himself, and that started with healing things in the past. His fight with his old master was an incredibly painful part of his past, but he knew he needed to start with a small gesture, signalling the potential amicability of the situation. Anakin cleared his throat and said, "May the force be with you".

Both Padmé and Obi-Wan were shocked by Anakin's statement and it took Obi-Wan several seconds to reply to this unexpected statement. "You too Anakin, may the force be with you both, always". The communication then ended, leaving Padmé in complete shock over how Anakin had been able to put his feelings of hatred and anger aside and say something to Obi-Wan.

"Anakin, I am so proud of you. I know how hard that must have been for you to hear his voice after harbouring all those bad feelings for him for the last 8 years. And I also want you to know how beautiful it was the way you spoke to the twins; it came so naturally to you. You are going to be a wonderful father to Luke and Leia", she said. She leaned into Anakin and kissed him on the cheek as a token gesture.

"It was hard to be able to do that. But I have done things that are much harder. I have spent the last 8 years being submerged in my own hatred and darkness and I hated it Padmé. You have brought so much light and happiness back into my life that I fear ever being in such a dark place again. I saw what my anger did on the first night here. When I saw the way you looked at me in fear on the first night we were together, I was reminded of your face on Mustafar, and I can never see you like that again.", Anakin replied honestly. He wanted her to see why he was determined to change his ways.

"We should probably get some rest if we are both going to return to the Senate tomorrow", Padmé replied, realising it was already quite late and they would have to wake up early tomorrow.

Anakin reached out and took Padmé's hand and kissed it softly, before saying, "Please, allow me to escort you back to your chambers, Senator".

Padmé smiled at his action and replied, "Thank you, kind Sir". The pair exited Anakin's office and walked back up the softly lit corridor towards Padmé's guest quarters. As they walked Padmé was uncertain how to address the topic of Anakin staying with her. Despite still being married, Anakin and Padmé had not been together for 8 years. Padmé had not been physically intimate with anyone else since Mustafar, and always thought she would never be in a relationship again. She suddenly wondered whether Anakin had been with anyone else during that time. Despite the Sith also forbidding attachment, that wouldn't necessarily have stopped Vader from sleeping with a woman, during his assumed solitude following Mustafar.

When they reached Padmé's room, Anakin could tell there was something on her mind. As Padmé walked over to her vanity table to untie her hair and brush it, Anakin remained standing near the doorway and asked, "What is troubling you Padmé?".

Padmé was not surprised that he had been able to sense her discomfort and anxiety. He had always been incredibly receptive of her emotions and had always said he could feel her through the force, and that they were connected. As she did her natural curls fell down just passed her shoulders, she reached for her hairbrush and replied, "I am uncertain how to ask. It's silly really. There is no reason why you shouldn't have. I mean we each thought the other was dead, so it would have been perfectly logical to seek the company of another partner to …".

Anakin could not resist smiling as Padmé tried to find the right words. His wife was wondering whether he had slept with anyone else as Vader. When Anakin believed that Padmé had died at his hand, he was so consumed by the dark side he didn't believe he was deserving of any kind of love or affection. He could never have comprehended being with anyone else. Since he had been a young boy on Tatooine he had been in love with Padmé, believing she was an Angel. Believing he had lost his angel was the most painful thing Anakin had ever experienced, and no other woman would ever be comparable to Padmé. He could not resist laughing as Padmé sat at her vanity table, blushing with embarrassment.

Interrupted by her husband's laughing Padmé stood from her vanity table and said, "Anakin, why are you laughing, this isn't funny".

As Padmé walked towards him, Anakin could not resist admiring her beauty. The way her flawless skin shone perfectly in the dimly lit room, her doe brown eyes, and her soft lips. As she stood less than a foot from him, he replied smiling, "Ahh I see, is this your way of telling me you have had an array of suiters over the last 8 years".

Padmé raised her eyebrow at him, before saying, "Oh you are so funny Anakin Skywalker. I am serious. It is not unreasonable for me to think it is possible. You believed that I was dead, and despite the pain that caused you, you still have needs as a man, and you are only young".

Anakin listened to her intently and then replied, "Padmé, there has never been anyone but you. Since I was a young slave boy on Tatooine other women did not exist to me, I was never interested. When I thought you had died, I convinced myself I was never worthy of anyone's love or affection ever again, even if it was just physical. I could never have been intimate with another woman like that because all it would have done was remind me of you Padmé".

Padmé smiled at his heartfelt response and stated, "I am the same Anakin. I always said I would never be able to move on and find another partner. I had the twins and Obi-Wan, so I didn't feel like I needed that companionship. But I couldn't even comprehend being with another man in that way".

Anakin closed the gap between them and cupped her face in his hands and said, "Well it looks like neither of us will have to worry about being with anyone else ever again. I will always be here for you Padmé, until the day you order me away. I will always love you and protect you and the twins, without exception or hesitation, forever and always".

"I love you Anakin Skywalker", Padmé said softly as their faces moved closer together.

"And I love you Padmé Amidala Naberrie Skywalker", Anakin replied as his lips locked with Padmé's in a passionate kiss.

Padmé felt consumed by her feelings for Anakin, and she knew how much he loved her. Anakin wrapped his hands around Padmé's waist as the kiss intensified, each consumed by their love for one another. They slowly moved back towards the large bed in the centre of the room. As they did Anakin lifted Padmé up in his strong arms, as she wrapped her legs around his hips, and they fell onto the bed together remaining entangled in one another. Anakin removed his shirt revealing his chiselled and muscular physique as he kissed Padmé's neck softly. Padmé removed her dress, revealing her underwear underneath. Anakin could not help but pause for a moment and admire his wife. He couldn't believe that she was actually here in front of him now, and she was just as beautiful as he remembered.

"Padmé you are so beautiful", Anakin said, trying to not sound too overwhelmed by his wife's appearance.

Padmé softly ran her hands up and down his muscular chest as she smiled at him. Despite not believing he would ever get to be with his wife again, this was more than he could have ever hoped for, and he would be grateful for it for the rest of his life. As the pair locked in another passionate kiss, Anakin used the force to dim the chamber lights, as they wrapped themselves around each other and the soft silk covers.

The next morning Anakin awoke to his comm making a piercingly loud noise on the floor next to the bed. Padmé too was awoken by the noise, as the pair exchanged a look knowing they were returning to the Senate today. Despite wanting to continue her duties and see Bail, Padmé also knew that returning to the Senate would present some problems. Outside of these establishments Padmé and Anakin had to act like Darth Vader and Senator Soruna, and therefore were opposite sides of different coins. But they both knew this was necessary for now. Anakin needed to continue to serve the Emperor, so he did not find out about Padmé or the twins. Padmé needed to return as Senator Soruna so she did not draw any unnecessary attention to herself and so that she could continue to serve Naboo as Senator but also the Rebel Alliance. Anakin had reassured Padmé that despite what may happen as Vader, he was still her Anakin and that he needed to maintain his façade as Vader in order to avoid suspicion. Padmé knew this would be a challenge for Anakin. Over the last few days, Anakin had made exponential changes and had renounced the dark side to be with Padmé and protect her and the twins. But as Vader, Anakin would likely have to do certain things that required him to call upon the dark side of the force and do things he normally wouldn't do.

Anakin rose from the bed and put on his sleep pants that had been discarded on the floor nearby. "I need to return to my chambers to get ready. Are you okay here?", Anakin asked.

Padmé also got up from the bed and headed towards the fresher and replied, "Yes, absolutely. I will see you in the kitchen for some breakfast soon".

Anakin smiled and left her chambers, as Padmé walked into the fresher to have a shower. As the warm water woke Padmé up, she could not help but reminisce about last night. Last night her and Anakin had showcased their love for one another, and it had been better than anything Padmé could have imagined. Her and Anakin had always had wonderful chemistry as Padmé smiled remembering their wedding night on Naboo. But last night had been different. Last night Padmé and Anakin shared such a range of emotions. Not only did they love one another so much, but they were so grateful for this moment and to be with one another again.

As Anakin walked down the corridor towards his bed chambers, he could not help but reminisce about last night. Last night he and Padmé had proven their love for one another had not faltered and was stronger than ever, and it had been more magical than anything Anakin had ever dreamed of. He and Padmé had always been so deeply connected. But last night was different. It had been more than about love and passion and pleasure. It had been about how grateful they both were for being able to be together again, and Anakin now knew he could never lose her again. When he arrived at his quarters he quickly jumped in the shower, knowing he did not have long before he would have to depart for the Senate, as he could not arrive with Padmé.

Padmé exited the fresher, as she dried her hair off with a towel. She opened her wardrobe and picked out one of the elaborate dresses she had available. She knew she was going to take longer to get ready, as she needed to insert her green contacts and apply her heavy makeup. It seemed strange putting on her disguise now, having just been able to be herself around Anakin the last few days. She figured that in a way she and Anakin were not very different in their experiences. Anakin wore a mask and armoured suit as Vader, and Padmé's mask was her contacts and makeup. Once she was ready, she departed her chambers and headed down towards the kitchen. She was slightly taken aback to see Anakin stood there in his entire mask and suit as Vader.

"I am afraid I must depart for the Senate now. I need to be there for an important meeting, and I think it is necessary we continue without normal routine as before because as Senator Soruna you are still under my protection until my orders change from the Emperor", Anakin said, his voice sounding much deeper and more menacing through the mask.

"Yes, that makes sense. Well, I guess I will see you at the Senate then", Padmé said, still feeling slightly uneasy about seeing him again as Vader. Anakin nodded at her before departing towards the hangar bay. At that moment C3PO entered and said, "Ahh Miss Padmé, would you like me to get you some breakfast before your driver arrives to take you to the Senate?".

"Yes please, thank you Threepio", Padmé said, slightly distracted by all the thoughts racing through her head. She knew this was going to be hard, but she also knew how important it was that she return to the Senate. She had a lot of work to catch up on, and she needed to see Bail, so there was no use prolonging the inevitable any further. It did not take the golden droid long to prepare Padmé some breakfast, which she ate rather quickly, as she was apprehensive to get to the Senate. She thanked Threepio for the food before she headed down to the hangar bay.


	15. Chapter 15 - Duties

When Padmé arrived at the hangar bay, she was slightly surprised to see her driver there. He had previously been picking her up from her temporary accommodation at 500 Republic where the Emperor had made an apartment available for her. She deduced that Anakin must have informed him of her new location, and presumed he had been sworn to secrecy, as it was essential that the Emperor did not find out about her residing here with Vader. As she approached the young man straightened his uniform and greeted the Senator with a bow. He took her hand and helped her into the speeder, before getting into the pilot's side himself and departing the hangar bay. The short journey was made in relative silence between the two before they landed at the Senate and the young man helped Padmé out of the speeder, saying, "Have a good day Milady".

"Thank you", Padmé replied smiling at him. Despite it only been a couple of days since Padmé had been in the Senate, so much had transpired in the short time and it felt so long since Padmé had been here. In a few short days, Padmé's life had changed completely. She had been arrested, tortured and nearly killed. She had then discovered that her husband whom she believed was dead, had survived and had been the evil dark knight that was Darth Vader. In a few short days, Padmé and Anakin had rediscovered one another and had fallen in love, Anakin had made a commitment to Padmé that he would be the man she had always wanted him to be, and that he would renounce the dark side and help her destroy the Emperor. Padmé was suddenly broken from her thoughts when she was greeted by a squad commander at the entrance to the Senate. She had hoped that Anakin would be here to meet her but realised he must have been detained in the meeting he informed her about.

"Good morning Commander", Padmé said politely.

The trooper bowed before saying, "Good morning Milady. It is a pleasure to have you back in the Senate. I wish to formally apologise for the misunderstanding surrounding your unjustified arrest. I hope it will not compromise my continued service and dedicated protection to you", he added, the desperation clear in his voice. Padmé knew that Anakin had planned to speak to the trooper and inform him that Senator Soruna had been cleared of all charges and it was an unjustified arrest. There was a part of her that could not help but be proud of Anakin. If he was still Darth Vader, he would have killed the trooper, ensuring there was no one who could attest to Senator Soruna ever being suspected of treason or arrested. But instead, he had used his powers of intimidation to ensure his silence and continued loyalty. Whilst Padmé did not believe in intimating people and scaring them into submission, the trooper was still alive, and she would be grateful for his support and protection.

As the pair walked through the main Senate hall towards Padmé's office, she softly replied to the trooper, "Please do not worry yourself with that Commander. I can assure you all is forgiven, and it was just an innocent case of mistaken identity. I am happy I have been able to return to my duties and will continue to be protected by loyal troopers such as yourself".

"Thank you, Milady, truly", the trooper replied gratefully. When they arrived at Padmé's office, the trooper opened the door for her. She entered and walked to sit behind her large desk, which had a very substantial pile of documents that had accumulated during her absence. Once she had settled down the trooper closed the door behind her.

Anakin sat at the head of the table as the incessant arguing continued around him. His presence had now been requested by the Emperor at all meetings concerning the construction of the Death Star. He had a very comprehensive understanding of mechanics and construction schematics, so was a valuable asset to the Emperor in ensuring the project would meet the Empire's needs. But now more than ever, Anakin found himself sitting in the large meeting room, unsure of his motivations. As Vader, he was never convinced by the promise of the construction of this technological terror. Grand Moff Tarkin and many of the other Admirals were so highly invested in the project, believing it would be the ultimate tool for power across the galaxy. But now, Anakin saw this Death Star only as a threat. It was a threat to the peace of the galaxy and most importantly it was a threat to Padmé and the twins. When completed the Death Star would have enough power to destroy an entire planet, potentially with billions of beings on it. Anakin knew what Padmé would think of such a device, and he knew that in the hands of the Empire it could bring a complete end to the Rebellion. Anakin could not help but remark on the irony of the situation, that he had spent the last 8 years trying to crush the Rebellion. And now he would be helping them in their fight against the Empire. In a few short days, Anakin's life had changed completely. In a few short days, his world had been turned upside by the discovery that his wife, whom he believed had died at his hand was alive. In a few short days, his undying love for Padmé had been ignited again and was more powerful than ever and he had presented her with a ring as a symbol of his dedication to her. In a few short days Anakin had discovered that he was a father to twins; Luke and Leia, and he would do anything in the galaxy to protect them and Padmé. He was suddenly broken from his thoughts when he heard his name mentioned.

"Will you be reporting our progress to the Emperor, Lord Vader?", Grand Moff Tarkin asked.

Anakin straightened himself in his seat and said, "He will be informed".

As Vader spoke all the officers couldn't help but tense up in response to his short and ambiguous answer. He then stood up and departed the meeting room, before any new topic of conversation could be initiated. Truthfully Anakin had not been paying attention to a lot of the meeting but knew that he had enough to update the Emperor on, having had several days leave. The Emperor would be expecting him to return stronger, and more in touch with the dark side. Anakin knew that whilst he had trained over the last few days, his reunion with Padmé had redirected his energy towards the light side of the force and his love for her. In order to convince the Emperor that he was still his apprentice, he would need to close his mind off to any thoughts about Padmé and would need to immerse himself fully in the dark side and the Emperor's teachings.

Bail briskly walked down the Senate corridor, straightening his overcoat as he went. He had come into the Senate this morning and had been informed by his aid that Senator Soruna had returned to her post and was in her office. When he arrived at her office, the trooper nodded in acknowledgement of him as Bail said, "Please inform Senator Soruna I am here trooper". The trooper replied, "Yes, Senator Organa", and then knocked on the Senator's door before opening it.

Padmé saw the door open and the trooper entered her office. "My Lady, Senator Organa wishes to see you". She knew it would only be a matter of time before Bail heard of her return to the Senate and she was looking forward to seeing her good friend again and informing him of all that had happened.

She smiled and replied, "Please, let him in trooper, thank you".

The trooper nodded and stepped out of the room to inform Senator Organa he could enter. Bail then walked into the room and closed the door hastily behind them. Padmé stood from her chair behind her desk and walked over to Bail and hugged him.

"Padmé, I cannot tell you how happy I am to see that you are alright. When I heard you had been detained by Vader, I was so scared for you. I contacted Obi-Wan straight away, I know he was very distressed to hear what happened to you", Bail said as they broke from their embrace and faced one another.

"I appreciate your concern Bail, and you know how much I have appreciated your friendship over the years. I have also already informed Obi-Wan that I am okay, and I have spoken to the twins", Padmé replied, doing her best to reassure Bail that she was okay.

"What happened to you Padmé? Where did you go? Did Vader interrogate you", Bail asked. He knew this was going to be a difficult conversation. Whilst Padmé had returned, he was unsure what had transpired over the last few days, and most importantly he needed to know what had happened between Anakin and Padmé.

Padmé paused for a moment. She knew she had a lot to discuss with Bail. Over the last few days so much in her life had changed, and there was no way she could explain all that had happened in any succinct manner. But she knew what the most important things were that she needed to say. She then replied, "I was taken down the detention cells and interrogated by a droid. I did not reveal anything I kept my mind closed as Obi-Wan had taught us. Then he came, he had been ordered to terminate the traitor who had betrayed him about his mission to Kessel.", she began. She could see the apprehension in Bail's eyes, as he stood in front of her, his arms folded tightly in front of him.

"He asked me if I had any last words, and it would have been impossible for me to not think of Anakin in my final moments", Padmé continued. "I know Bail, I know that Darth Vader is Anakin and I know that you and Obi-Wan had been keeping it from me", she added frankly.

Bail bowed his head in shame as Padmé revealed her discovery to him. Since discovering her arrest and speaking to Obi-Wan and Mon, he knew it was very likely that Padmé and Anakin would discover the truth about one another. And it turned out Mon had been right and that Vader had discovered Padmé was alive and had spared her, and it was likely she had been with him since her arrest several days ago.

"Padmé, I know nothing I say can justify not telling you about Anakin. But Obi-Wan and I believed it was for your own good and the safety of the twins. You were so broken by what had happened on Mustafar and Anakin's fall that we believed it was easier for you to believe he was dead than to live in fear knowing he was Darth Vader". Bail responded sincerely.

Padmé knew that they had never kept the secret with malicious intentions. All Bail and Obi-Wan had wanted to do was protect her and the twins and they had no way of knowing whether Darth Vader would feel the same way about Padmé, as Anakin Skywalker did.

She smiled softly before saying, "I know Bail. And I am truly so grateful for all that you and Obi-Wan have done. But now Anakin and I have been reunited and he is changing Bail. Every minute I spend with him I see him changing and being pulled away from the dark side towards the light. He has said he will help the Rebel Alliance defeat the Empire. He wants to help us; he loves me and the twins and he wants to protect us".

Bail could not help but be shocked as he asked, "He knows about the twins?".

"Yes, he does", Padmé replied. "I could not keep it from him any longer. The Emperor had convinced him he was responsible for my death and that of our children and has tortured him with it for over 8 years. I knew that if I told him about the twins it would bring him back to us", she added passionately.

Bail paused for a minute, taking in all Padmé had said. Truthfully, he was not completely surprised by Padmé's revelation. Even as a Jedi, who was forbidden from making attachments, the bond between Padmé and Anakin was incredibly strong. What had happened on Mustafar had shaken Obi-Wan and Padmé and he knew how much the loss of Anakin had broken them both. This was the happiest he had seen Padmé for years, and he knew if Anakin could help the Alliance bring down the Empire, then maybe one day the galaxy could be at peace again.

"Where is he now Padmé? Where have you been staying? How come you have returned?", Bail asked, as his mind fired the questions out of his mouth.

"He is here in the Senate. For my safety and his, he had to return to his duties as Vader. The Emperor is already very conscious and paranoid, and Anakin cannot do anything to make him doubt his loyalty, or he will kill him. I have returned as to not arouse any suspicion by my absence. The troopers who arrested me have been told it was a misunderstanding, so I can now continue my job here, and Anakin is still assigned to protect me, but that may change when he meets with the Emperor", she said concern in her voice.

"I have been staying with him at his establishments here. After I was interrogated, he took me there so I could receive medical treatment and he informed me that it would be safe from intrusion. Although the establishments did experience a brief lapse in security, when someone attempted to access the security cameras", Padmé stated.

"Yes. We were trying to see if we could gain access to the cameras inside Vader's establishments. We were hoping we would be able to determine if you were being detained there", Bail commented.

"Yes, we deduced that", Padmé said with a smile. "I'm afraid Anakin's engineering skills are far beyond that of the average person. The security in that place makes in impenetrable. But that means I am as safe as I can be", she added.

"It fills me with great pleasure to see you happy again Padmé. I hope it continues because it would deeply upset me to see you get hurt again or anything happen to you or the twins. I want to believe your faith in Anakin is just and that we can truly start to work towards a peaceful future for the galaxy. But you must understand that I can't help but be a little cautious of the situation", Bail commented.

"I know Bail. I understand how confusing this all is. But I know Anakin loves me and the twins more than anything and he is willing to do all he can to protect us and be rid of the tyrannous reign of the Emperor. He had even been willing to put aside the conflict he has had with Obi-Wan in a bit to forgive him", she added proudly.

Bail was slightly shocked by this statement. He knew how much painful history Anakin and Obi-Wan had and what had happened on Mustafar. If he was truly willing to forgive Obi-Wan for that, then maybe he really was going to return to the light side and be the key to restoring peace to the galaxy.

"I hope you are right Padmé", Bail said. "Now it is probably best if I leave you to your duties and I am certain I will see you around the Senate", he added.

At that moment the pair were interrupted by the sound of the mechanical breathing of Darth Vader in the doorway. Bail couldn't help but tense at his arrival before saying, "Apologies Lord Vader, I was just leaving".

Anakin stood tall and still in the doorway before replying, "I was just coming to check the Senator's protection detail was sufficient". Whilst he knew Senator Organa was aware of his true identity, he had to be sure to maintain his appearance at Vader, as he could never be sure who was listening around the Senate.

Bail turned back to Padmé and said, "I will bid you good day Senator Soruna. I am sure I will see you soon".

Padmé smiled and replied, "Absolutely. Thank you for coming Bail. It is great to see you".

Bail smiled in return and then turned to Vader as he left to depart the room and said, "Please look after her Lord Vader".

Anakin did not respond but nodded in acknowledgement of his statement.

As Bail left her office, Padmé could not help but feel awkward. Her husband was stood in front of her, yet they had to act like complete strangers, and more so than that, like enemies. Both were unsure of what to say. There was very little Padmé felt she could say to him while he stood there as Darth Vader.

"I have come to inform you I will be meeting with the Emperor then I will return to escort you to the hangar bay", Vader stated.

Padmé nodded and said, "Okay, thank you for coming to tell me".

Not saying anymore, Anakin left. As he walked down through the Senate halls, he could not help but be frustrated. He was having to stand in front of his wife and act as if they were not only strangers but enemies. All he wanted to do was pick her up and carry her away from here and keep her safe. But right now, they both had duties to perform, and it was essential he continued his act as Darth Vader. He made his way towards his master's office on the top floor of the senate building, and he immediately began to focus on closing his mind off from all thoughts of Padmé. His master needed to be convinced that his days leave had given him the opportunity to immerse himself more in his master's teachings and get stronger. In truth, Anakin felt stronger than he had in a long time. He concluded that perhaps for the first time he had something worth fighting for. He had a reason to get stronger. He needed to be strong so he could protect Padmé and the twins. He could not fail.

Once Anakin had left the room, Padmé returned to her desk and sat down. She had to stand there in front of her husband and act as if they were complete strangers, and even worse so, enemies. All she wanted to do was leave the Senate with Anakin and return to the twins and keep them safe from the Emperor. But right now, they both had duties to perform and it was essential she continued to act as Senator Soruna. She knew the Emperor needed to be convinced that Vader was still his apprentice and that the Empire was growing in strength and moving to defeat the Rebel Alliance. He needed to believe that Senator Soruna was simply an insignificant Senator from Naboo that had replaced Padmé many years after her death. Padmé found herself being increasingly anxious for Anakin. When she had come to the Senate several weeks ago to start her job, she was not truthfully very concerned about her identity being discovered. She had developed an effective disguise and had been trained to close off her mind from unwanted interception. But right now, she wasn't concerned for herself, but for Anakin. He was continuing to place himself in great danger. If the Emperor was to discover his treachery, he would surely kill him, and he would make him suffer greatly before he did so. Ever as his valued apprentice, the Emperor still took pleasure in torturing Anakin physically and mentally, and it made Padmé sick. As she shivered at the thoughts of Anakin with Palpatine, she decided to busy herself with some work, hoping it would not be long before Anakin returned to escort her home.


	16. Chapter 16 - Breaking Point

As Anakin marched towards the Emperor's Senate chambers, he tried to focus. He needed to shut his mind off completely so he could convince him that he was still his apprentice and fully committed to his service. So much had changed in Anakin's life over the last few days, he feared that he would be unable to contain that change and make himself vulnerable to the Emperor. He exited the elevator and walked down the familiar dark corridor to meet the guards standing outside his master's doors. They bowed in acknowledgement of him, as the doors opened in front of him and he made his way up towards his master's desk. Before saying anything, Anakin got down on one knee in submission to his master.

"Ahh, Lord Vader. I trust your time off has been fruitful. I sense a change in you my apprentice", the Emperor said, not hinting at what the change was that he sensed.

Anakin realised he needed to take ownership of the situation and responded, "I have been deeply enthralled in your teachings, my master. I feel stronger and more connected to the dark side thanks to your wisdom and guidance". He stood up from his subordinate position and rose tall over the Emperor.

"That is good to hear, my friend. I was concerned for you following your defeat on Kessel. But I am pleased the traitors have been apprehended and dealt with. I trust everything is going as planned with regards to the construction of the Death Star?", he asked his apprentice.

"Yes, Master. Everything still appears to be on schedule. There were a few concerns raised with regard to how questions will be addressed about the station's construction as it progresses", Anakin stated, doing his best to sound genuinely interested in the topic.

"They do not need to worry about such diplomatic matters. I have introduced the concept of the station as a way to protect and secure peace for the Empire and the Galaxy. Once construction has been completed there will not be anyone that will dare challenge us, when we possess a machine that has enough power to destroy an entire planet with the push of a button", Sidious replied menacingly.

"Yes Master", Anakin replied subserviently.

"With regards to your assignment to Senator Soruna. Whilst you are not pre-occupied with more pressing matters, I want you to maximise your time spent picking her mind for information. She may be a favourite here in the Senate, as the previous Senator of Naboo was, but I am certain her usefulness will expire soon enough.", the Emperor stated.

"Yes, Master. I will continue to escort the Senator around the Senate and seek to penetrate her mind. However, I have reason to believe she is a pawn being used by the planet to occupy the position of Senator. She is a young and naïve woman, so is hardly a valuable asset to the Rebel Alliance", Anakin added. He was hoping to try and detract from this mission. He was so conflicted because he wanted to be near Padmé so he could protect her, but he also knew eventually he would need some information to feed the Emperor. And if his master was to deem that her usefulness had ended, then he may try and get rid of her, and Anakin could not let that happen.

"We shall see", the Emperor replied ambiguously. "In the meantime, I want you to conduct yourself for successful completion of your task. I am aware of a time when you were side-tracked when assigned to the protection of the previous Senator of Naboo", he added bitterly.

Anakin straightened at his reference to Padmé and replied sternly, "The man who protected her was a stupid naïve boy fooled by her beauty. That man is gone, master."

"Good. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, and it makes you stronger", the Emperor replied. "Now, leave me and return to your tasks. I want you to continue to ensure progress is being made with the construction of the station, and to be on maximum alert for activities from the Rebellion".

Anakin bowed at his master before he turned and left his office. He walked down the long dark corridor again and down the elevator. All he wanted to do was go and collect Padmé and go home and be with her. Every time he left the Emperor, he always felt so dark and full of hatred. He didn't want Padmé to see him like this and he knew he needed to calm down. Anakin knew he could not do this forever. He could not continue this act as Vader because it was exhausting him. He didn't want to be that man anymore. He didn't want to be the man who the entire galaxy feared and hated, the man who had killed at the orders of his master, the man who was tortured by his masters with painful memories of his wife, the man who was feared by his wife, the man who had nearly killed his wife in an interrogation cell. As much as it pained Anakin to accept all that he had done, he knew he needed to if he was ever going to be the man he wanted to be for Padmé. He wanted to be the man she loved, and he wanted to be the man who loved his wife unconditionally and would protect her and their children with his life. He wanted a quiet and peaceful life with his family, but right now he didn't believe it would ever be possible.

As Anakin walked down the dark corridors, he felt the hatred and anger fill his body and he wanted to explode. He hated the Emperor for all he had done. He hated the Emperor for manipulating him with his fear of Padmé's death and making him serve him hoping it would save his wife. He hated the Emperor for lying to him and making him believe he was responsible for the death of his wife and child. He hated the Emperor for torturing him with that information and painful visions of Padmé and engraving her name on his body as a permanent reminder for his unforgivable mistake. But more than he hated the Emperor, he hated himself. He hated that he had let himself be manipulated by the Emperor with the fear of Padmé's death. He should have opened up to Padmé and Obi-Wan about what was happening and then it likely never would have happened. He hated himself for what he did to Padmé on the platform on Mustafar, and the pain he caused her on that day was something he could never forgive himself for. He hated himself for breaking Padmé's heart and making her live in secret from the rest of her family and friends with their children. He hated that his children had had to so far grow up without a father. He hated all that he had become. Unable to control his violently increasing emotions the windows shattered around Vader, as Senators nearby ran for shelter from the flying fragments of glass.

Padmé had been sat at her desk drumming her fingers on the table apprehensively. She then stood from her chair when she heard screams and shouts from outside. She opened her door and saw Senators and dignitaries running down the corridor and past her office away from a scene of chaos. Unsure what was going on, Padmé cautiously walked towards where many were fleeing and was shocked when she saw the scene in front of her. Anakin stood as Vader, tall and menacing in his black armour. All the windows around him were completely shattered as he remained standing in the middle of a sea of broken glass. She had been worried about what meeting the Emperor would do to Anakin, but she did not think the result would be that catastrophic. She did not know what to say and knew she needed to maintain their formal relationship. What she wanted to do was run up to him, strip him of that terrible mask and suit and hug and console him that everything would be alright. But instead, she turned and walked back towards her office door and simply waited for him to have calmed down enough to come to her. When she returned to her desk, she ordered for several clean up droids to attend the scene and begin fixing the damage that had been caused.

It did not take long for Anakin to appear at her door. Padmé stood from her desk and picked up her bag and coat before walking out of her office silently. The pair walked next to one another in silence heading towards the hangar bay. Padmé had to fight hard to resist the temptation to say something but knew that she needed to maintain her cover, and she wasn't entirely sure if any words would comfort Anakin right now. When they arrived at the hangar bay Padmé smiled at her driver who was there waiting for her as usual. She turned to Anakin and said, "Thank you, Lord Vader".

Anakin nodded but said nothing. He waited for Padmé's ship to have departed the hangar bay before he turned and walked back down the long corridor. He knew his master would not be pleased with his outburst, so intended to stay until sufficient work had been done to clean up the shattered glass that covered the floor and fix the broken windows.

Padmé spent the speeder ride home in silence thinking. She couldn't imagine what Anakin must have been going through with the Emperor. He was experiencing so much conflict and his emotions were bound to be high and fluctuating. Anakin had always been very emotional and had often struggled to contain his feelings, both positive and negative, even as a young Jedi. She was unsure when Anakin would return home. He would likely want to stay to make sure that the mess was seen to and cleaned up, in an attempt to stop the Emperor from finding out. She also knew that he probably wanted to stay away until he had properly calmed down and regained control of his emotions. Since the second night when Anakin had briefly been overwhelmed by the news about the twins and had shattered glass in front of Padmé, he had taken extra care to control his emotions. He vowed he would never see that look of fear in Padmé's eyes again, and he was doing all he could to keep to the vow.

It was long into the night when Anakin finally returned home. He knew by now Padmé would certainly be asleep and did not want to disturb her. He had stripped off his mask and suit as soon as he had returned home, wanting to be rid of its confines. He was becoming increasingly frustrated as Darth Vader. He could feel his internal conflicts rising between the man he was and the man he wanted to be. Following his meeting with the Emperor, the conflict had overwhelmed him and he was unable to control his power through the force. He had stayed behind late in the Senate as the droids began to fix the damage he had caused. He was certain they would have finished by the morning when the Senate resumed and hoped his master would not find out.

Anakin ran his cybernetic hand through his soft dark blonde hair as he sipped on a glass of water and walked over to the kitchen balcony. There was something oddly therapeutic about watching the permanently bustling night sky of Coruscant. It was a good temporary distraction, as his eyes would follow one line of traffic, and then another, or he would watch rooms across the city darken as people went to sleep. He exhaled deeply and then let the cool night air enter his still healing lungs. He was truly grateful that he was able to live without his suit permanently. Following the incident on Mustafar, Anakin was unsure whether he would survive or ever be able to breathe again on his own. Thanks to force healing and advanced medical technology he had persevered in his determination to be independent of the black mask that transformed him into the cyborg, Vader. But he had to put that behind him. He was beginning a road to redemption, and one of the first obstacles on that road was making peace with Obi-Wan for what had happened on Mustafar. For years Anakin had been filled with nothing but hatred for his old master and what he had done to him, and he vowed he would never forgive him. But he had recently come to realise that if Padmé could forgive him for what he had done to her on Mustafar and his transgressions over the last 8 years, then he had no excuse for not forgiving Obi-Wan.

Anakin was torn away from his ruminations as he felt a delicate pair of hands wrap themselves around his waist. He had been so lost in thoughts he had not felt her presence until her soft hands touched his bare waist.

"Padmé, you should be in bed", Anakin replied softly, as he turned to see his wife. Padmé's beauty never failed to surprise him. She stood in front of him wearing a long purple silk nightdress and had a light covering on top of that. Her hair was down, showcasing her natural soft chocolate brown curls. He cupped her face softly with his human hand and said, "I am so sorry for what happened at the Senate today. You did not deserve to see that. No one was hurt and I remained in the Senate to ensure the droids will have all the windows fixed by the morning", he added.

Padmé stroked his hand softly as it touched her face and replied, "I had to check you had returned home. I waited up for you, but then you didn't come to bed. I needed to know you were okay Anakin, I'm worried about you", she stated concerned.

Anakin lifted Padmé's hand to his lips and kissed it softly before saying, "Today when I met with the Emperor, for the first time I was faced with hating what I have become and the man I have been serving for the past 8 years. I have so much to pay for, and I hate the man I am. I hate the man who turned on you on Mustafar. I hate the man that raised a hand to you. I hate the man who had killed callously in service to a man who has done nothing but lied to me and torture me. I was so full of hatred and anger for what I let myself become and what I have done to you Padmé. I am so conflicted between that man that I was and the man I want to become, the man I want to be for you", he said emotionally.

Padmé paused for a moment, taking in what Anakin had said. She knew it would only be a matter of time before he began to experience a conflict between who he was as Vader and who he was as Anakin. This had been made increasingly difficult by the need for him to remain acting as Vader to avoid the Emperor getting suspicious. Perhaps Padmé had asked too much of him to do so. Maybe it was not fair of him to have to try and be two such different people. She then said, "Anakin, you should not underestimate how difficult this last week has been for you. The entire course of your life has been redirected. We have found one another again, you know you are a father, you want to renounce the dark side and defeat the Emperor, all whilst maintaining your appearance as Vader. I am not surprised you reacted the way you did today. Nobody could deal with that, Anakin".

"I will be okay Padmé; I just need to refocus and remember this isn't going to be forever. I will not be Vader forever. And most importantly I am the luckiest man in the galaxy because I have you standing by my side and there isn't anything, I wouldn't do for you Padmé", Anakin replied passionately.

"I think we should go and see the twins Anakin. I know how much they want to see you and I have been away from them for too long. You need some time away, even if it only brief to help you with all of this. Surely the Emperor will not notice your lack of appearance in the Senate for two days", Padmé stated.

"I think you're right Padmé", Anakin replied. "I want nothing more than to see the twins. But we must take precautions. We will need to use unregistered transport and we should meet a mutually convenient location, so we do not compromise the safety of the twins", he added.

"Where can we go?", Padmé asked.

Anakin paused for a moment and then replied, "I have an estate on Alderaan. I have only ever been once, but the estate is maintained in my absence. You know the planet is safe and it is under the protection of the Queen".

"I know Breha, she is Bail's wife. She has always managed her relationship with the Emperor well. He does not see her as a threat", Padmé added.

"Excellent. We should go to the Senate tomorrow as normal, and then tomorrow evening we can make plans to visit. I will arrange for transport if you contact Obi-Wan to inform him of our plans", Anakin explained.

"Okay", Padmé replied simply.

"Padmé, I cannot tell you how happy you make me, and how excited I am to meet our children", Anakin stated proudly.

"I love you Anakin", Padmé said softly, as the couple embraced.

"Let's get some sleep, Angel", Anakin said as they walked hand in hand up to Padmé's bed chambers.

When Padmé woke the next morning, she turned to see the bed was empty next to her. But she knew Anakin had been in the bed next to her because he had made up his side of the bed. She smiled at the gesture, remembering when he used to do it when he stayed at her apartment in 500 Republica during the Clone Wars. She stretched out to wake herself up in bed, before walking to the fresher to have a quick shower. Padmé had realised she had had to sacrifice parts of her usual routine because her makeup now took longer, necessitated by her need to disguise herself. She longed for the day when she would not have to wear uncomfortable green contacts or wear such heavy makeup in order to hide her true identity.

Anakin had gotten up early this morning and departed for the Senate building. He wanted to be one of the first there to ensure all repair work had been completed following his outburst yesterday. He was satisfied with the droids' job, knowing they were a lot more productive than any other beings, as they were uncomplicated and could be programmed. Once he had inspected the repair work, Anakin headed to his office to make a call. Since he and Padmé had decided last night to visit the twins, he needed to make transport arrangements for him and Padmé so they could travel undetected. He deduced that for two days his disappearance would go unnoticed by the Emperor, as he had not been assigned any high priority tasks. The Emperor had asked him to continue his protection detail of the Senator, so he calculated he could also say he had been required to escort her somewhere outside of the senate that presented a security risk. One thing that was increasingly bothering Anakin was what information he was going to feed to the Emperor. He could tell his patience was wearing thin regarding the matter, and Anakin needed to buy as much time as possible because he knew he was not yet strong enough to overpower his master. He would need to discuss with Padmé if there was any irrelevant information, he could give the Emperor that would be seen important. Anakin had to be careful because he could not risk accusing Senator Soruna of working for the Alliance because then the Emperor would order for her to be arrested and likely killed, but he also needed to give him just enough to suspect her so he would continue to assign Vader to her protection. He paced up and down his office as questions raced around his head.

Deciding to deal with something he could actually control, Anakin picked up his comm and arranged for transport to come to his establishments early the next morning. He calculated that if they left early in the morning, they could spend 2 days with the twins and minimise time spent away from the Senate. He then decided to contact his groundskeeper at his estate on Alderaan. He was unsure whether she would answer, as he had only ever visited once, and truthfully, he didn't think he would ever have reason to visit again. When she did answer, he informed her that he would be having some important guests attending his estate with him and that he would require 4-bed chambers to be prepared for their arrival. Once he had finished those calls, he then checked his wrist chrono and realised it was time he headed to the main hangar bay to meet Padmé.

Padmé exited the speeder and saw Vader standing a few metres away, his strong arms folded in front of his plated chest. He did not say anything as she walked towards him in the busy hangar bay. When she was less than a metre away from him, Vader turned and began exiting the hangar bay, with Padmé having to walk quickly to keep up with him. They walked in silence down the long Senate corridor towards Padmé's office. When they arrived at her office, the trooper guarding her door straightened at his commander's presence.

"Good morning My Lady", the trooper said, nodding at Padmé. He opened the door for her as she thanked him and walked in. Vader stood in the doorway as Padmé sat down at her desk.

His mechanical breathing sent shivers down Padmé's spine as he said, "I will return at the end of the day to escort you out. If you must leave in the meantime, your trooper can escort you".

"Thank you", Padmé replied simply, smiling softly. He nodded subtly, acknowledging her reply and then turned and left her office.

As Anakin walked down the long corridor towards his office, he struggled to contain his continued frustration. But he knew that any further actions would have severe consequences, and he was fortunate that the Emperor was unaware of his outburst, as he would likely be very displeased and punish him for making a scene in public. When he entered his dark office, he linked his comm frequency to the Commander based on Kessel. Since the ambush there Vader had stationed an additional squadron of troops to manage the workers at the mines and prevent any further rebellious strikes against the Empire. Vader knew Kessel was not a target, as the slave mines there had been in existence before the creation of the Empire. What had driven the Alliance to Kessel was him. They had attempted to kill him that day, and truthfully, they got closer than many people ever had. As Vader, he had not feared death, mostly because he had very few things to fear that could kill him, but also because he had nothing to lose from his death. As Vader, he had no one to live for, and his sole purpose was in service to his master. But now everything was different. Anakin had more to live for than he had ever imagined. He had Padmé back in his life and he had the twins. He had the prospect of living a peaceful life with his family, and that certainly was worth living for.

Anakin returned to the present when his call was answered by the station commander on Kessel. He said, "What is the situation update Commander?".

"My Lord there is little to report. Since you departed there has been no action from the minors and we have had no further encounters with Rebel soldiers", the Commander reported.

"That is not surprising. They were only there to ambush me. They utilised the distraction created by the rebellion. But the traitor has been caught and exterminated", Vader stated.

"That is good My Lord. Do you have any further commands for me Sir?", the trooper asked.

"No Commander. But inform me if anything is to change", Vader replied.

"Of course, my Lord", the trooper responded before the communication link ended.

Padmé straightened her dress as she walked into the Senate chambers ready for the session to begin. When she entered her pod, she said beside Bail who greeted her with a smile.

"I trust you are well Senator", Bail said kindly.

"Yes, I am very well thank you Bail. How are you?", Padmé replied in question

"I will be better once this pointless debate is over. Everyone knows we have no say in the military arms pact anymore. It is all orchestrated by the Emperor and Vader has command of the military now", Bail replied. As he finished his sentence, he realised who he was talking about and went to correct himself.

Before Bail could speak again, Padmé said, "This is true. But perhaps if we continue to act on our beliefs, we will one day see change".

"I agree", Bail replied.

"Where is Senator Mothma today?", Padmé asked curiously.

"She was needed back on her homeworld. She assumed there would not be a vote for the pact and just a discussion, so decided her presence was more valuable there than here", Bail reported.

Unbeknownst to the pair, the Emperor sat in his private pod watching the Senator's talk. Whilst he could not hear what they were saying, he had noticed the apparent closeness between the Senators.

Anakin strode towards the entrance to the Senate chambers. He had felt his master summon him through the force and wondered what he wanted. Anakin had never been one for politics and that fact had continued as Vader. He spent as little time in the Senate as possible, despite the Emperor's demands requiring him to spend an increasing amount of time here. As much as he often wished he was away on the Executor, he knew that right now he wanted to be by Padmé's side to protect her, even if that meant his continued presence in the Senate.

Vader approached his master's pod and said, "You called for me master"

"Yes, Vader indeed, come and join me. There is a most intriguing debate going on concerning the military pact. It's so admirable to see them all here arguing over a matter that is entirely out of their hands", the Emperor commented slyly.

Vader did not say anything and simply remained silent standing next to his master in his pod. As much he hated it, he knew the Emperor was right. Since the creation of the Empire, Sidious had been working to gradually strip the Senate of all of its power. He had used his awareness of politics to turn the decisions in his favour and now all-important decisions were made by the Emperor and Vader had control over the 501st battalion and all Moff's and Admiral's reported to him.

"It appears that young Senator Soruna has not wasted time in making friends with Senator Organa. She is more like Senator Amidala than I feared, using her beauty and sexuality to join the inner circle. I bet they are involved romantically, it is probably when they spend so much time together", the Emperor said, as his eyes watched on the pod where Padmé and Bail were talking.

Anakin knew he needed to say something. He was using all of his power to remain controlled at Sidious' mention of Padmé. He then replied, "I will continue to probe her mind master. If she knows anything I will find out.". He paused and then said, "It is likely Senator Organa is simply befriending her for sexual favours as you said, master. He is probably playing her because she is a foolish naïve woman", he added for good measure.

"Whatever her intentions, I want you to find out. Now go, leave me my servant", the Emperor demanded, as he waved his hand in dismissal of his apprentice.

"Yes, my master", Anakin replied, bowing before exiting the pod.

After several hours of constant debating in the Senate, an agreement was reached that would be presented to the military officers for consideration. Many in the Senate knew this would be a redundant action, but it was important for maintaining any sense of peace and hope that Senator's continued to work to represent the views of their people. Padmé exited the pod with Bail as they walked alone down one of the many corridors in the Senate. Padmé quickly glanced around her to check if there was anyone around before saying to Bail quietly, "Anakin and I are leaving tomorrow to go and meet Obi-Wan and the twins. We will not be gone more than 2 days, so it is not likely my disappearance will be noticed, but if someone was to ask could you simply inform them, I am attending a formal function on Naboo".

Bail processed what she said and then replied, "Of course yes. Are you certain you want to do this Padmé?", Bail asked, wanting to be sure his friend was making the right decision.

"I am certain Bail. It was I who suggested it. And right now, Anakin is in a very fragile place, he needs to meet the twins. I know they will bring so much light and happiness into his life and he needs that right now Bail, he is struggling", Padmé said, concern in her voice.

Bail placed a hand on her should and replied, "You know I support you Padmé. I just want to make sure you are making the right decision. Because it would upset me to see you hurt again", he added.

"Thank you Bail", Padmé stated with a smile. "For everything".

"It is my pleasure", he stated kindly. "Now, if you will forgive me, I must depart to another meeting with the Senator from Tatooine", he added, looking at his wrist chrono.

"Okay. Good day, Senator Organa", Padmé replied formally, as she turned and headed down the corridor towards her office.


	17. Chapter 17 - Surprises

When Padmé arrived back at her office, she was surprised to see there was no trooper stood outside her door. She hesitantly walked up to her door and pushed it open slowly. She jumped a little, startled by the appearance and then mechanical breathing of Vader.

"Forgive me, you startled me", Padmé said, placing a hand on her chest, calming herself down.

"I apologise Senator. Are you ready to leave?", he asked moving towards the door, as Padmé walked towards her desk.

"Yes, thank you", she replied. She quickly packed her bag and put on her thick coat over her dress, before walking towards Anakin. As usual, the pair remained in silence as they walked towards the hangar bay. Padmé did not know whether he would be coming with her or staying but was unsure how to ask in case someone overheard. When they arrived at her speeder, he stated, "I will see you as agreed". It was vague and brief, but Padmé knew what he meant and replied, "Thank you, Lord Vader". She then got into the speeder, which departed the hangar, leaving Vader behind.

Anakin wasted no time in walking to his private hangar and getting in his speeder to take him home. It was not too far to his establishments and he knew with his flying skills and awareness of Coruscanti traffic that he could likely make it back before Padmé. He stepped into his speeder and swiftly departed the hangar bay.

When Padmé was dropped back home, she thanked her driver, being sure to inform him that she would not require a ride tomorrow due to the fact she was travelling off-world. He was smart enough to not ask any questions and instead nodded and bid Padmé good evening. Padmé walked out of the hangar bay to get the lift up to the main part of the estate, and suddenly heard a noise behind her. She turned quickly but did not see anything behind her. She continued to walk to the end of the hangar bay to turn down the corridor towards the lift.

"You took your time", a voice said around the corner.

Padmé screamed in shock, completely taken about by her husband's voice, who had been stood in anticipation waiting for her to arrive. "Anakin, you could have given me a heart attack", she said trying to sound stern. Her attempt to be serious was quickly sabotaged by the smile that radiated across Anakin's face at his successful scare of his wife.

"I am sorry my love, I didn't mean to scare you. Well, I did a little. I took a gamble because I wasn't sure if I would beat you here. I mean you did have a head start", he commented jokingly, as they entered the lift toward the main part of the house.

"Yes, only because you fly far too fast and are a mad man", Padmé replied.

"Secretly you know its because of my incredible talent as a pilot and unmatched forced ability", Anakin said jokingly.

Padmé turned to him and raised an eyebrow and simply responded, "Is that so".

"I mean, I am the chosen one", he stated, adding on to the continuing joke of arrogance.

"You think you are funny Mr Skywalker?", Padmé said as they exited the lift and walked towards their chambers.

"I do Mrs Skywalker. Now if you will excuse me, I am due a session in the gymnasium, because this body does not maintain itself", he replied wittily.

Padmé couldn't help but laugh at his response and replied, "I shall call Obi-Wan and inform him of our arrangements". Her and Anakin parted ways near the kitchen, as she left for his office to contact Obi-Wan. She was so excited that Anakin was going to meet the twins, and she knew how delighted they would be to meet him. As time had passed she had been able to talk about him more and tell the twins stories about the great Jedi Anakin Skywalker and how he and a young Senator had fallen in love, despite all the forces in the galaxy trying to stop them, they truly were lovers across the stars.

She sat down at Anakin's desk and set the comm frequency to Obi-Wan's comm. She hoped he would answer, because if not all their plans would be in vain, and right now seeing the twins were exactly what Anakin needed. Her brief thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Obi-Wan's voice.

"Padmé, it is so good to hear your voice. Please tell me you are coming home; I know how desperate the twins are to see you. They are becoming a little restless", Obi-Wan admitted.

"It is good to hear your voice too Obi-Wan. I call with good news. Anakin and I want to come and see the twins. He has been very stressed lately and I know this is exactly what he needs, and it has been far too long since I saw my babies", Padmé added.

"What is your plan Padmé?", Obi-Wan asked intently.

"Anakin has an estate in the countryside of Alderaan. It is secluded and even he has only ever visited it once. We want to meet somewhere off both our worlds, as to not compromise the twin's current safe location. Anakin has contacted the establishment ahead of time and has made unlisted transport arrangements for us to leave early in the morning. If I send you the coordinates, can the three of you meet us there?", Padmé asked, trying to ensure she remembered to say everything.

"Of course, Padmé, I will leave in the morning with the twins. Are you certain it is safe?", Obi-Wan asked ambiguously. Padmé was not sure whether he was referring to it being safe for Padmé and Anakin to leave Coruscant and risk being detected, or whether he was referring to Anakin coming and meeting the twins.

"I can assure you Obi-Wan that everything has been planned for. Anakin says all his establishments are well guarded, and we will only be gone for two days, our disappearance will easily go unnoticed. And you do not need to worry about Anakin coming. I can see in his eyes how much the twins mean to him, and I know he wants to do anything he can to protect us.", Padmé replied, pausing for a second before adding, "I know there is a lot of pain between you two after what happened on Mustafar. But I know that it is essential for Anakin's redemption that he makes peace with you. You were like brother's before, and I hope one day you can be like that again Obi-Wan".

"I have always believed that after what happened on Mustafar, that Anakin was beyond redemption as Darth Vader. But from what you have told me, and when I spoke to him briefly on the comm, I can feel the changing balance of the force. I hope too that one day Anakin and I can be brothers in arms again", Obi-Wan replied.

Padmé smiled at his response before saying, "I need to pack for tomorrow as we are leaving early. I have transmitted the co-ordinates to your comm unit. Please tell the twins how much I love them and how excited me and Anakin are to see them. May the force be with you Obi-Wan", she added.

"May the force be with both of you as well Padmé", Obi-Wan responded proudly.

When the communication ended, Padmé stood from the desk and exited Anakin's office. She wanted to pack some supplies now before it got too late, and she knew there would not be time to pack in the morning. Anakin had told her she did not need to pack much, as anything they needed would be available at his estate, and they were only going for a couple of days. But Padmé had always been the type to come prepared, so she packed a small case with all the essentials she could need.

Having packed for the trip tomorrow, Padmé wanted to free herself of her disguise. She walked over to her vanity table and took out her green contacts carefully. She then tied her hair up on top of her head and started to take off her makeup. Padmé had never been once for heavy makeup, and she hated having to do it as Queen. She would relish in the next couple of days not having to adopt her intense disguise. Once she had removed her makeup, she put on some more comfortable clothes and decided to go and see Anakin in the gymnasium.

When she arrived at the gymnasium Padmé stood and watched her husband from afar so as to not distract him. He was wearing all of his armour except his helmet and was fighting blaster shots from half a dozen battle droids at once, striking them down and deflecting shots from all angles. During the clone wars Padmé had seen Anakin fight a handful of times, and she knew how committed he was to train to be the best Jedi the order had ever seen. Padmé marvelled at her husband's efforts as he continued to deflect the blaster shots as the intensity appeared to intensify further. Several moments past before the droids ceased their firing and Padmé assumed his session must be over.

Anakin had pushed himself too far. He felt his chest tighten as the round of blaster fire ended. He began to sway from side to side as he struggled to catch his breath. Padmé saw him noticeably struggle and ran towards him shouting, "Anakin, Anakin, are you alright", concern emanating from her voice.

Anakin crashed onto the gym mat below him clutching at his chest as breathing became harder and harder. When Padmé got to his side he said to her faintly, "Padmé, my mask". He gestured over to the end of the room where his mask rested on a table. Padmé got up quickly and retrieved his mask and returned to him on the mat. She helped him put on the large mask and seal it. Immediately once the mask was on, Anakin felt the tightness in his chest ease, as the mask started to work to enhance oxygen flow to his lungs.

"Anakin, what happened to you. Are you okay", Padmé asked concerned as she took Anakin's hand as they remained sitting on the gymnasium floor.

The menacing sound of Anakin's mechanical voice through the mask shocked Padmé a little as Anakin replied, "I just pushed myself a little too hard. I have suffered from some minor respiratory complications since Mustafar, but I have managed to regain almost all normal functions. But when I overexert, I need my mask or access to my hyperbaric chamber to repair any damage caused".

"Anakin you must be careful. You could have been seriously hurt or worse had I not been there to get your mask to you. Please, I cannot stand to see you like this. If something was to happen to you I …", Padmé said frantically.

Anakin interjected her and said, "I am alright Angel". The statement sounded odd coming from the voice of Vader, but Anakin meant it in the sincerest way to calm his wife. "The recovery does not take long with the mask", he added. Wanting to speak to Padmé in his own voice, Anakin removed the black mask. Padmé protested by raising her hand to keep the mask on, but Anakin insisted he was feeling better and now he had stopped exercising he would be able to recover properly.

"See I am much better already", Anakin said trying to reassure Padmé.

"Anakin, you scared me. You fell to your knees; you couldn't breathe properly. You must stop pushing yourself like that, your body cannot take it", she said, tears glistening in her doe brown eyes.

Anakin cupped Padmé's face with his hand as they remained kneeling on the floor next to one another, before saying, "Padmé, all this training I do is absolutely necessary. I have to be at my absolute strongest if I am to defeat the Emperor".

"But Anakin. If you were to challenge the Emperor or he was to discover you were changing, I cannot bear to think what he would do to you, how he would make you suffer", Padmé said terrified thinking about the torture Anakin would endure if the Emperor was to discover his intentions.

"Padmé, you do not need to worry about me. I will bide my time and wait until the time is right. and when the time is right, I will fight the Emperor and I will win and kill him and end his tyrannous reign", Anakin stated, trying his best to comfort Padmé.

"But Anakin, if you were to be hurt, or anything worse. I have just got you back, I cannot lose you", she said a tear rolling down her soft cheek.

Anakin wiped away the tear gently with his gloved hand and replied, "Padmé, the only thing that could hurt me is if something happened to your or the twins. You are my reason for living and the reason I do all this training. I have to do all I can to be strong enough to protect you. It is my reason for existence", he added passionately.

Following the tender moment, the pair shared a brief kiss. When the kiss broke, Anakin and Padmé both rose from their positions on the floor. As Anakin stood tall in front of his wife, she smiled up at him and remarked, "You need a shower Anakin".

Anakin returned the smile and shook his hair in front of her, dripping several beads of sweat down onto her. She gasped in shock at his action as he said, "Looks like you also need a shower, My Lady".

Padmé raised an eyebrow at him and turned to walk out the gymnasium not replying to his comment. She waited for him outside as he picked up his mask and sabre from training and shut down the lights. The pair walked to Anakin's chambers, and Padmé followed him into his room. She had not yet seen inside his chambers and had assumed they looked a lot like hers. It was grand, but minimal in decoration and colour. Anakin had always been simple like that, a combination of his life as a young slave and Jedi, and he had always worn brown or black as a padawan and Jedi Knight.

Anakin took off his armour slowly, and then his wet training shirt and then turned to walk towards Padmé. She knew he was teasing her by walking up to her half-naked, dripping with sweat. She smirked at his subtle attempts to woo her. Anakin had always been a romantic and passionate man and their chemistry was undeniable. As Anakin walked into the fresher adjacent to his room, Padmé followed close behind, untying her hair from its bun and undoing the ties on her dress.

A while later, Anakin exited the fresher first and walked over to his bed with his sleep pants on. After several moments Padme emerged from the fresher, drying her damp hair off with a towel. As Anakin laid in bed, he smirked at Padme who was stood with her body wrapped in one of his large towels. This was the first time Padme had ever stayed in his room, so had not come prepared with anything to wear.

"Might I borrow a nightshirt please", Padme asked as Anakin continued to admire his wife.

"Ahh you always have to spoil the fun Padme", he remarked seductively.

"Anakin", Padme said her eyebrow raised at his comment

"Fine Senator, if you so wish", he added, getting up from his large bed and walking towards one of his draws. He pulled out a large black shirt and handed it to his wife. As he stood tall in front of her, he whispered, "Here I was thinking you were bold and daring".

Padme smirked at him and took the shirt off him. He returned to the bed as Padme continued to dry her hair. She had always been bold and confident as a Senator, but also conservative and proper. But with Anakin, she had always been able to be herself and be more fun and carefree. It has been a long time since she had felt this way, and she refused to be a spoilsport. She could see Anakin out of the corner of her eye as she finished drying her hair, leaving her curls to fall just below her shoulders. She then allowed her towel to drop from her body, revealing her soft skin. Anakin could not hide his reaction to his wife's unexpected action. She then effortlessly pulled the large shirt over her body and walked over to the bed to join her husband.

"You are always full of surprises my love", Anakin commented, pulling her into his large warm body.

"Well, I did not want to be further accused of spoiling the fun", Padme retorted.

"Oh, never", Anakin replied, embracing her small body gently in his.

"We should get some sleep Anakin, we have to be up early tomorrow", Padme stated.

"Yes, indeed", Anakin said. He suddenly remembered something and tried to subtly reach out his arm to call his lightsabre to his side. Padme noticed his action and asked, "What are you doing?".

He placed his weapon on the side table and replied, "I always have it next to me in the event of an intrusion. It has become a habit, and I must ensure I always have a way to protect you, even if I am slightly distracted", he added softly kissing her neck.

"If you insist Anakin. But I always feel safe around you. I have nothing to fear when I am around you", she said softly as she closed her eyes and started to fall asleep.

"Good night Angel", Anakin whispered, as he too closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	18. Chapter 18 - Reunion

The pair woke up early the next morning to the piercing sound of the alarm. Padme rubbed her tired eyes and sat up in bed. Anakin did the same and got out of bed quickly. He had gotten used to early mornings as Vader and was much better at rising from slumber quickly. He had never been a very peaceful sleeper and had adapted to function optimally on limited sleep. But since he had been sleeping with Padme the last few nights, he had been sleeping better than he had for years.

"I'm just going to have a shower, are you okay to return to your quarters to get ready?", Anakin asked his wife.

"Yes, that is fine. Shall I meet you in the kitchen in twenty minutes to depart?", Padme replied.

"Yes, that is acceptable", he responded nodding before entering the fresher.

Padme got out of bed and started to walk towards her bed chambers. At this time in the morning she would have been grateful for a shorter walk but conceded that with a long day of travelling ahead of them, it would be good to stretch her legs now. When she arrived at her room, she walked over to her wardrobe and picked out a light summer dress. She anticipated the weather would be nice on Alderaan, so did not want to wear anything too heavy. Anakin had said anything they needed would be available at his estate, so she quickly chose her dress and got ready. She then applied some simple makeup and styled her hair naturally, accentuating her curls that she knew Anakin liked.

Once she was ready, she walked towards the kitchen and was surprised to see Anakin stood in his mask and suit as Vader. Before she could ask any questions, Anakin said, "I must leave these establishments as Vader. But once we are on the transport, I can take my mask off so I am not recognised. When we arrive on Alderaan I will need to arrive as Vader as well. But I anticipate we will arrive before the twins so I will be free of the mask and suit when I see them, I promise", he added.

Padme knew this made sense, and they had to do all they could to ensure they didn't draw any unnecessary attention to themselves. The pair then walked to the hangar bay, where there was a transport ship waiting for them. As a trooper approached them, Anakin said, "Board the ship Senator, I need to brief my trooper". Padme nodded and replied, "Yes Lord Vader", knowing it was important they maintained their façade as Vader and Senator Soruna.

Once Padme had boarded the ship Anakin told the trooper, "I am having to escort the Senate on a business trip. I will return within a couple of days. I want you to keep this to yourself trooper. If people were to hear of mine and the Senator's departure, we could become targets", he commanded.

"Yes, Lord Vader.", the trooper replied. Anakin then turned away and walked up the ramp of the ship.

Once the ship had departed the hangar bay, Anakin set coordinates for his estate on Alderaan. He quickly removed his mask and heavy exterior armour. Padme remained sitting next to him and asked, "Is everything set?".

"Yes. The coordinates are set, and we should be jumping to hyperspace soon. The ship will inform me when we break out of hyperspace and enter the atmosphere of Alderaan", Anakin replied running a hand through his hair as he continued to stare out of the cockpit window.

"Great", Padme replied with a smile. She could tell there was something troubling Anakin. She didn't know whether to ask him or wait until he told her. She assumed it was something to do with meeting the twins and Obi-Wan. It had all been a lot for him to process over the last couple of days, and whilst she knew how excited Anakin was to be a father and meet Luke and Leia, it also understandably had made him anxious too.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Padme placed a hand softly on her husband's shoulder and asked, "What's the matter Anakin?"

Anakin turned his head to look at Padme. He knew he could not lie to her. His mind was so full of questions and worries he had hardly spoken a word all day. He wanted to be honest with her about how he felt, but he also knew she had concerns of her own and didn't want to worry her.

He exhaled deeply and then said, "I am worried I will not be a good father Padme. I never had a father and I have been absent from the twins' lives since they've been born".

She was not surprised by his statement, but she knew how to comfort him and replied, "Anakin, you being absent from the twin's lives was not your fault. We cannot change what happened all those years ago. But what does matter is that you love those twins as much as you love me, and nothing makes me happier than thinking we will be a family together, it's all I've ever dreamed of. I never doubted that I wanted you to be the father of my children Anakin, and that belief has not faltered now", she said passionately, as she placed her hand on his cheek softly.

Anakin smiled and said, "It is all I have ever wanted as well Padme, and I want you to know how grateful I am for you for giving me Luke and Leia and giving me the chance to be their father. It is a debt I will never be able to repay, which is why I do not want to mess it up", he added.

Padme ran a hand through his hair softly and said, "You won't Anakin trust me. The love you have for the twins already is so powerful, and I know when they meet you they will love you so much. They are such incredible children Anakin, and even more so you are connected to them in a way I never can, through the force".

Anakin paused for a moment. Padme was right, it was not at all a surprise that Luke and Leia were force sensitive, and even though he had not met them, he knew they would be very strong with the force, the way he was. He was touched by his wife's words and replied, "Yes, I can imagine they are incredible children. But with a Queen and Champion Senator for a mother and a Jedi father it is not surprising".

"That is true. They are certainly the first to have that mix of genetics", Padme remarked with a smile.

"It's almost like it wasn't allowed"' Anakin replied with a smirk.

Padme laughed at his statement and replied, "Yes, what were people thinking. If only they knew all the good Luke and Leia can do", she added.

Anakin had wanted to ask his wife this question for quite a while but had never quite found the moment. Knowing there was no time like the present he boldly asked, "Would you ever consider having another child Padme?".

Padme was slightly taken aback by his question. It was something she had never really considered. But now her and Anakin had been reunited it was a possibility.

"Truthfully, I had never thought about it after the twins. I believed you were dead Anakin, and I knew I would never be able to love someone and commit to them enough to have a child with them. But I love Luke and Leia so much and I have always loved children, and now you are back in my life it is something I would consider definitely"' Padme said with a smile.

Anakin took his wife's hand and said, "It isn't something we need to worry about now. I just wondered whether it would be something you would consider. I know I have not been here for you and the twins since they were born, but I promise you I will do all I can to make up for that time. But nothing would make me happier than having another child with you Padme". He kissed her hand gently as her eyes glistened with tears.

"Yes, it is Anakin. When this is all over and the Emperor is gone, we can talk about it again", Padme said.

"Absolutely. Right now my priority is keeping you and the twins safe, and then once Sidious is rotting in hell, we can focus on our family. It can just be us and our children, forever and always". Anakin replied passionately.

"I love you Anakin Skywalker", Padme stated, leaning in to kiss her husband sat next to her.

"And I love you Padme Naberrie Skywalker", Anakin replied, kissing his wife softly on the lips.

The pair continued to talk as their ship travelled through hyperspace. Padme had made the two breakfast, and they had played a game of cards to help the time pass.

A little while later the ship console started to beep informing them they were breaking out of hyperspace. Padme sat down in her seat and Anakin said, "The coordinates are set for the estate, so it should guide us in well. You will see the entrance to the hangar below the property. They are aware of our arrival so the doors should open. I am certain you are up to the task my love, I need to get my suit and armour back on", he added distastefully.

"No problem Commander Skywalker"' Padme replied, trying to cheer up her husband. She knew how much he hated putting on the suit of Vader. But it wasn't for long, and it was a necessary measure on their arrival to maintain appearances.

Padme guided the ship into the guarded hangar bay as Anakin returned, encased in his armour as Vader. Once the ship had landed Anakin turned to Padme and said, "This estate has no troopers present so all I need to do is ensure the maid who lives here can be trusted".

"Okay", Padme replied, as the pair disembarked the ship. They were greeted by a woman who Padme assumed was the estate manager. She nodded to Vader and Padme and said, "Welcome Lord Vader. It is good to see you at these establishments it has been too long".

Anakin sought the moment to penetrate the woman's mind and read her thoughts. He sensed no deception in her and knew if she had a brain she wouldn't betray them.

The woman turned to Padme and said, "Welcome My Lady. I am Geeta.". She could have sworn she recognised her from somewhere but couldn't put her finger on it.

Padme was unsure how to respond and smiled nodding in acknowledgement to her before Anakin said, "Geeta this is my wife Padme Amidala Skywalker".

Geeta paused for a moment and then replied, "I thought I recognised you, My Lady. But I had heard you had died many years ago. I was unaware you had married Darth Vader". She commented.

Padme didn't know how much Anakin was prepared to tell Geeta so replied, "No. My death was faked for my protection".

"Padme married Anakin Skywalker, perhaps you remember the name", Anakin aged simply to Geeta.

"Yes I remember him, The Hero With No Fear he was called. He was a rather handsome young man from memory" she added.

"I am Anakin Skywalker Geeta", Anakin replied.

Slightly embarrassed by her comment on his appearance Geeta stated, "Forgive my candour, my Lord".

"Apologies are not necessary. I just need to know we can trust you with this information Geeta", Anakin stated.

"Of course Lord Vader", Geeta said bowing her head.

"Please call me Anakin or Master Skywalker", he responded.

"Might I ask what has brought you to Alderaan, Sir?", Geeta asked.

"We are expecting guests. Our children should be arriving soon with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. That is why I requested for four bedrooms to be prepared", he added.

"Indeed Master they have been prepared", Geeta replied, trying not to sound too surprised at his statement. In the last few moments, she had established that Lord Vader not only was married but had children.

"Please inform us when they arrive Geeta. You have my communication frequency. I want to show my wife around the establishments", Anakin stated. He then picked up their bag and took Padme's hand to escort her into the house".

"Thank you Geeta", Padme said to her as the pair left the hangar bay together.

Once they had left the hangar bay, they entered a lift which took them up into the main part of the estate, much like the establishments on Coruscant. However, when they exited the lift Padme was surprised how different the house was. On Coruscant the estate consisted of long dark corridors and there were a lot of large windows in all of the bedrooms and living areas. But this house was a more traditional Alderaani style, with stone walls and large archways between rooms.

"Anakin, this house is beautiful. Reminds me more of being back on Naboo", she stated.

"Yes, it is very different to my establishments of Coruscant. I have only ever been here once though. Truthfully, I never stayed in any of my estates for comfort or pleasure, they were simply a place to rest before my next mission", Anakin replied.

Padme took his arm in hers and said, "Well now you have a reason to enjoy being here. It is where you are going to meet your children for the first time".

"Indeed they should be here soon. I need to go to our chambers and relieve myself of this terrible mask. I do not want to terrify Luke and Leia before I have spoken a word to them", he stated.

"Of course yes that is a good idea. But don't worry Anakin, they are going to love you as I do", Padme said, squeezing his arm gently under his suit.

Padme went with him to their chambers, as he removed his mask and heavy shoulder pads. He stripped down to a pair of simple black trousers and a black military jacket. He ran a hand through his hair nervously and then turned to ask Padme, "Do I look okay Padme?".

Padme smiled at her husband softly and replied, "You look very strapping Anakin. Black has always suited you very well. You look fine, and they will love your regardless", she added.

Anakin attached his lightsaber to the hilt of his belt and replied, "That's easy for you to say Padme, you are the most beautiful woman on the planet, and everyone adores you".

Padme's cheeks reddened s little at his statement and replied, "Appearances are subjective".

Anakin laughed at her response and said, "Well let's just say that I have never met anyone who doesn't think you are beautiful".

"This is coming from the poster boy of the clone wars. The hero with no fear. You were the media's model for the wars. I remember I used to hear all sorts of comments in the Senate about you. Women were obsessed", Padme replied.

"Oooh really, do tell", Anakin teased.

"Trust me, you don't want to know", Padme stated. "Some were most inappropriate. They were man-eaters Anakin".

Anakin walked over Padme and kissed her hand softly before saying, "Well, not every woman has the talent and grace to make a man weak at his knees without saying a word Padme. It is a gift bestowed only on angels".

"Oh shush Anakin", Padme replied, hitting his shoulder playfully.

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of Anakin's comm. He answered it and Geeta stated, "My Lord. Your guests have arrived, but they are coming through the front entrance to the house through the gardens", she added.

"Received, thank you", Anakin stated before shutting off the device.

"It is time", Padme said excitedly. The couple walked out of their chambers and down the hall towards the main entrance to the gardens. The doors opened, and Anakin could feel his heart racing intensely. He was about to meet his children. When they stepped outside, they heard the twins shout, "Mummy, Daddy".

Padme immediately saw the children and ran towards them embracing them tightly and said, "My babies, I missed you so much. I promise mummy won't leave you for that long ever again". She put the twins down and kissed them one by one. "We missed you too mummy", Leia said smiling at her mother. Padme then saw the twins look up to see their father stood behind Padme.

Anakin stood in the same place, frozen with shock. His son, Luke, looked just like he did at that age, with soft golden brown hair and blue eyes. His daughter Leia, looked exactly like his wife, long brown hair and doe brown eyes. "Is that daddy, the twins asked Padme in unison. Padme stood up and took both the twins hands and said, "Yes, this is your daddy. This is Anakin Skywalker".

At that moment got down on his knees and opened his arms to his children. They ran at him and hit him with quite some force as they embraced in a warm. Anakin was immediately overwhelmed with emotion. Never before had he imagined he would live for the day when he would embrace his children. The beautiful children that he and Padme had together. After a tender moment, the twins stepped back from the hug and Leia said, "Daddy you are very handsome. Mummy always said you were very handsome".

Anakin wiped a tear from his cheek softly and said, "Thank you Leia, and you are just as beautiful as your mother".

"Mummy always said I look like you daddy. The same hair and eyes", Luke stated looking at his father intently.

"Yes son, you do. I looked very similar to you at that age", he replied kindly.

"Are we all going to be a family now daddy?"' Leia asked, turning to look at Padme too.

"I promise now that I am here I am going to look after you two and your mummy. The Emperor will not hurt you, I swear", Anakin replied, looking at his daughter.

At that moment Obi-Wan emerged on the path from behind them. Padme walked over to him to help him with the bags and welcomed him with a warm hug. Obi-Wan said, "I just wanted to give you a moment with the twins and Anakin".

Padme smiled and said, "Thank you Obi-Wan. And thank you so much for bringing the twins here to see us, it means so much to me and Anakin".

"It is my pleasure Padme", Obi-Wan replied.

At that moment, Anakin stood from his knees and looked at Obi-Wan. He couldn't help but find it strange that he had spent the last 8 years planning how he would kill his old master if he got the chance. But was now standing metres from him, and his urges were quashed by his desire to make peace and continue on his path to redemption. Anakin walked up to his old master, as Padme took the twins hands to walk them in. She knew the two men needed some private space to talk, so wanted to take the twins away for a moment.

When Anakin reached Obi-Wan, he stated, "Here let me help you with those bags".

Obi-Wan passed a bag to Anakin and replied with a thank you. As they turned to walk down the garden path towards the house. Trying to break the awkwardness Anakin stated, "I want to thank you for bringing the twins here. I cannot express what that means to me. And how much having them and Padme back in my life means to me. It has truly saved me".

"I have to be honest Anakin. When Padme first told me I did not believe it. After what happened on Mustafar I feared for her safety and that of the twins. Since that day Padme had been a broken woman, and I did not want to see her like that again. And I couldn't stand by and let the twins be taken by the Emperor", the Jedi stated matter of factly.

"I know there is a painful history for us after Mustafar. But I know that in order to continue my journey to becoming Anakin Skywalker again, I must start to reconcile and make peace with that part of my life. That started with asking Padme for her forgiveness. Whilst I do not deserve it, she has given it to me, and I will do all I can to prove to her it was worth it. I wish to do the same with Master Obi-Wan, and I hope that both of us can see a way to get past what happened on Mustafar", Anakin replied. They were prepared words and he was content he had said all he wanted to.

As the two men entered the house, they placed the bags down to be taken to the rooms. Obi-Wan had listened intently to his words and then replied, "It will take time. But with time and the help of the force, I believe we can heal from all that has happened". He then reached out a hand to Anakin, who responded and the pair shook hands.

Padmé watched from around the corner and smiled. She had been worried about Anakin and Obi-Wan meeting and she knew they still had a long journey ahead of them to heal the damage caused, but it was certainly a step in the right direction.

"How long are we here for mummy?", Luke asked his mum.

"Just two days sweetheart. Then mummy and daddy have to go back to work. But I promise we will not be gone for as long. I know how excited your daddy has been to see you too", Padmé said to the twins.

"I have arranged for chambers to be prepared for all of you. Obi-Wan your room is located down the corridor in the guest quarters. Luke and Leia, I have asked for the chambers near the master bedroom to be prepared, so we will all be close to one another", Anakin announced to the group who gathered in the living quarters.

"This house is very pretty dad. It looks a bit like the house on Naboo too", Leia said to her father.

"Yes, it is a nice house. I hope to come here more often", Anakin replied to his daughter. He still could not believe how Leia resembled her mother, and she was fiery and confident like Padmé too.

"Is there a swimming pool here dad?", Luke asked curiously.

Anakin paused for a moment and said, "I am afraid there isn't my son, but there is a lake behind the house down through the trees. This is a very secluded and isolated area, so I am certain it is safe", he added to comfort Padmé.

"Can we go for a swim as we do at home? We go swimming in the lake all the time at home with mummy", Leia said. Anakin was interested in his daughters' statement. Until now he was unsure where Padmé had been living with the twins and Obi-Wan. But now it was clear they resided in the lake country, after all, it was the place that Padmé had said she wanted to go to when she told Anakin she was pregnant.

Padmé could see her husband was lost in thought so said, "Why don't you two help Geeta and take your stuff into the rooms and pick who wants which room. No fighting please and make it fair.", she shouted as the twins ran away up the corridor.

"Are you okay Anakin?", Padmé asked her husband, placing a hand on his arm gently.

Deciding it was a good time for him to depart, Obi-Wan stated, "Thank you very much for your hospitality. I shall go to my quarters and do some meditation, I think. Will be nice to have some peace and quiet for a little while Luke and Leia are with you", Obi-Wan said with a smile.

"Of course, thank you Obi-Wan", Padmé said with a smile, as the Jedi turned and walked towards his quarters. She then turned her attention back to Anakin.

"I just think of all I have missed Padmé. Now I realise where you have been all this time, in the lake country. Where you always wanted to go. And all I can think is how it is my fault that I was not there with you. That I was not there to help to fix up the baby's room by the gardens, which was what you told me you wanted all those years ago on the balcony on Coruscant", Anakin said emotionally.


	19. Chapter 19 - Reflection

A tear escaped Padmé's eye at the mention of the memory. She was surprised Anakin remembered that conversation from nearly 9 years ago. There was still a lot of pain held in a lot of their memories. But they had to work to move past the pain and start to enjoy what they had now. Padmé sniffed and replied, "I know how hard it must be for you to think about what you have missed in the twin's lives. But that pain is real for me too Anakin. I have spent the last 8 years raising Luke and Leia, believing they would never meet their father, and I would never have a husband ever again. The twins have also missed out on that time with their father too. But we cannot focus on what we have lost, we must look at all that we have gained by finding one another again. We can be together for the rest of our lives Anakin. We still have so much time, and most importantly we have a love for one another and the twins that some people will never experience in a lifetime. We have been given this second chance at destiny, and we must make the most of it", she said passionately.

Anakin listened to her words intently and smiled then simply responded, "I agree". Padmé wondered why he said no more but then she heard the twins coming thundering down the corridor, and she assumed Anakin had felt them through the force.

"Daddy why do you only have one glove on, did you lose the other one. Luke sometimes loses things because he is silly", Leia said mischievously.

"Hey", Luke gasped. "I always find what I lose, eventually", he added.

Padmé and Anakin smiled at the twins' statement, and then Anakin replied, "I wear it because my hand underneath is cybernetic. I lost it in a fight, and it is now metal, like a droid", he tried his best to explain to his young children.

"Oh, I'm sorry", Leia said sadly.

"Do not worry Leia, it was a long time ago now, and I am fine", he said with a smile.

"Well, you don't need to hide it from us dad. Mum has always said we should be ourselves and be proud", Luke stated happily.

"I've told your father this", Padmé said. She had always said to Anakin, even during the clone wars that he did not need to wear his glove in front of her. He had always felt comfortable being completely himself in front of his wife. But since he had become Darth Vader, he had become so used to hiding himself that wearing his glove was just second nature.

"Well, I will certainly need to take it off to go swimming. Who wants to go to the Lake?", Anakin asked his children excitedly.

"Meeee", the twins shouted in unison.

"Go and get your bathing suits then please.", Padmé asked the twins.

"Race you", Luke said to Leia as they turned and ran back up the corridor.

Padmé and Anakin turned to one another and smiled, as they headed to their chambers to get ready. "They are truly wonderful children Padmé and I can feel how strong they are with the force", he added.

"Obi-Wan said the same", Padmé stated. "It is not surprising when you are there father. I know Obi-Wan has had to work hard to help to teach them control and he has taught us very well how to block our mind and hide the twins' force signatures", she added.

"Yes indeed, that will be a very valuable skill to ensure they remain a secret from the Emperor", Anakin said. "And you masterfully kept your mind clear. I was unable to penetrate your mind and extract any useful information", he reported. "Once again, you excelled at the task at hand, my love", Anakin stated.

"If you are quite done with your feeble flattery attempts Mr Skywalker, I want to go for a swim", Padmé teased, as she grabbed her swimsuit and went into the fresher. "I will meet you downstairs", she said.

"If you insist", Anakin replied. He quickly changed into his swim shorts and retrieved a towel and walked downstairs to the kitchen to meet the twins.

They were both stood there looking around at the room. As Anakin walked in, Luke said, "Dad you're really tall. Do you think I will be as tall as you one day?".

Anakin smiled and replied, "It is hard to tell Luke. I cannot remember exactly how tall I was at your age. But also your mother is very small so you could get a mix of both and be in the middle", he added.

"Mum doesn't like it when you call her small", Leia said as she continued to plait her hair.

"That may be true young one", Anakin said admiring his daughter's hair braiding skills. "But your mother is tiny but mighty. She is the strongest and most powerful woman I have ever met", he said with a smile.

"But he would never say that to my face", Padmé replied. Anakin turned around at the sound of her voice and tried to do his best to stop his mouth from opening. "Now let's get going. Is Obi-Wan coming?", Padmé asked.

"No. He says he wants to do some more meditation", Luke reported.

"I am not surprised. I bet you two have been keeping him very busy", Padmé said. "He deserves some peace and quiet and time to himself", she added.

The family walked through the gardens and round the back of the estate. They followed a narrow winding path that led down to a small but beautiful lake. Anakin had never been down here before, but he knew it existed when he had purchased the estate. He marvelled at the way the sun reflected off the water. Excitedly the twins ran into the lake, as Padmé shouted, "Make sure you two don't go out too far okay and you always stick together. Your father will watch you too".

Anakin turned to Padmé with a raised eyebrow and said, "I thought you were coming in. You always love a chance to swim".

Padmé placed her towel down on the grass next to the lake and said, "Indeed I do. But you are here now, and I would love to get a tan". As she placed her towel down, she moved her body in a way that she knew would attract Anakin's attention. He smirked at her action and said, "And you called my flattery attempts feeble".

Catching her off guard, Anakin swept Padmé off her feet and carried her into the lake. "Luke, Leia. I know how much your mum loves to swim. Let's make sure she gets nice and wet". The twins laughed as Anakin ran into the lake with her as she shouted for him to release her. He laughed and replied, "Okay", before propelling her into the lake, using his strength to throw her out of his arms. Padmé crashed into the water and was fully submerged. When she came up for breath, her dripping wet chocolate brown hair fell down both sides of her body as she shouted, "You will pay for that Anakin Skywalker. Children, attack".

At that moment, Luke, Leia and Padmé all swam towards Anakin and jumped on his body in an attempt to overpower him. He picked up Luke and Leia simultaneously and threw them back into the lake. Padmé jumped on his back and said, "I've got him, help me hold him down", as Luke and Leia swam back towards him.

"I think this is a little unfair. Three against one", Anakin stated as he was being splashed with water and ducked under.

"It is fair because you are the most powerful Jedi ever, and we are half of you, and mummy is not force sensitive", Luke said.

Anakin laughed at his child's comment about his force ability and asked, "What makes you think I am so powerful?"

"Mummy told us you were the strongest and bravest Jedi ever", Leia told her father.

"Oh, is that so", he replied with a grim-looking at his wife cheekily. "So, if you two are half of me, and your mother isn't force-sensitive them what is her job in this team attack?", Anakin asked his children.

"Her job is to distract you with her beauty", Leia said candidly.

"That is true your mother has always been very good at that.", Anakin responded, winking at his wife.

"I think that was a tie", Luke said as he once again had been thrown into the water by his father. Anakin smiled at the response and said, "I agree. Perhaps a rematch on land could decide the winner".

At that moment Geeta emerged at the edge of the lake with a basket of food. She shouted, "I thought you would all be hungry after your swim. So, I have prepared a picnic for you".

Padmé smiled at the gesture and shouted, "Thank you so much, Geeta".

"Thank you", the twins shouted in unison.

"Right then who's hungry?", Anakin asked the twins, as they all swam towards the edge of the lake.

As they got out of the pool both Luke and Leia walked out behind their parents. They then couldn't help but notice their father had large marks on his back. Padmé started to empty the contents of the basket and lay it out on the towels for the children. She gave each of them a plate and said, "Be sensible". The twins nodded and started to place several sandwiches, cookie and pieces of fruit on their plates.

As they all started to eat, curiosity got the better of Luke and he said, "Daddy"

"Yes Luke", Anakin replied.

The young boy hesitated for a moment and then said, "What are the marks on your back?", he asked simply.

Padmé tensed at her son's question. She had not been prepared to give them an answer and she knew the real reason was far too horrible to reveal to them. She did not know what Anakin would say but remained quiet as he started to speak.

He turned to the twins, so his back was facing them and asked them, "Can you see them better now?"

The twins nodded as Leia said, "That says mummy's name. It says Padmé".

Anakin nodded and said, "It does yes Leia you're right".

"Why do you have mummy's name on your back daddy?", his daughter asked him curiously.

Padmé placed a supporting hand on her husbands' leg. He placed his hand on top of hers and replied, "I lived without your mummy for a long time. It is to remind me of how lucky I am to have her and to be able to love her forever", Anakin said sweetly.

Padmé smiled at his beautiful response and they shared a short sweet kiss.

"Eww", Luke and Leia said in unison, at their parents' kiss. Padmé and Anakin laughed at their response as they continued to eat their picnic.

"That is very sweet daddy. I bet mummy likes that", Leia stated.

Padmé nodded and said, "Yes. I love your daddy very much, and everything he has done for us".

The twins smiled and carried on eating their sandwiches. When they had finished, they splashed about some more in the water, as Padmé and Anakin watched intently from the balcony. Padmé took Anakin's hand softly and said, "That was so beautiful what you said before Anakin. The way you explained it to the twins was incredible. Truthfully, I had not thought of an explanation, so I was unprepared, but you handled it masterfully. You are such a wonderful father Anakin", she said with a smile.

Anakin lifted his wife effortlessly into his lap and kissed her silky soft shoulder and said, "I had not prepared that either to be honest. But I simply said what I felt to be true. Whilst I do not want the twins to know who gave me those scars, the meaning is true. I will forever have you with me Padmé, and it will remind me everyday of how lucky I am to be here with you now and to have your love. I may not be the most attractive man in the world with the hideous scars, but I certainly feel the luckiest", he said passionately.

"You are the most handsome man in the Galaxy to me Anakin. Your scars do not matter, and they only show all you have been through and how brave you are. I am so proud of you and proud to call you my husband", Padmé said lovingly.

"Thank you, Angel", Anakin said. "You have always been so accepting of my battle scars. It reminds me of when I first lost my hand to Dooku. Despite how defeated I felt, you never made me feel like less of a man", he added.

"Hey dad, do you want to see something cool", Luke shouted to his father from the water.

Anakin turned his attention to his children and replied, "Yes of course".

Luke and Leia then both turned to one another and closed their eyes. As they stood still in the water, leaves that had fallen from the trees and come to rest on the surface of the lake began to float up into the air. Anakin watched in awe of his children's force ability. They were clearly very in touch with the force, and Obi-Wan had instructed them well in learning how to control it.

"That is wonderful children", Padmé said to them.

"Indeed. You are both incredibly gifted with the force. And you demonstrated much greater force control ability than I was ever able to master at an older age than you two are now. You truly are gifted children", Anakin stated proudly.

Luke and Leia emerged from the lake, as Padmé and Anakin wrapped towels around them to keep them warm.

"What can you do with the force daddy?", Leia asked as the family sat down on the banks of the lake.

"Well, I certainly was not as talented as you two. I was still a slave boy on Tatooine when I was your age actually. But now I am older, I have learnt the teachings of the force and can do more", he replied to his daughter.

"Can you do a trick for us dad?", Luke asked excitedly.

Anakin smirked and said, "Okay, as long as you don't tell Obi-Wan. When I was his apprentice, he would get very grumpy when I tried to do tricks with the force". Anakin then closed his eyes and focused on his connection to the force. He could not remember the last time he had ever reached into the force simply to try and do a trick for someone. As Vader, his only use for the force was to immerse himself in his master's dark teachings or to heal himself from his master's punishments. The force had become a symbol of darkness and suffering for him. But now it was changing. The force was representing the light side of him, and a way for him to connect with his children and the man he used to be. Without speaking Anakin began to focus his energy on the picnic blanket below them. Then seconds later he opened his eyes, whilst maintaining his concentration as he heard his wife gasp. He had lifted their blanket up several metres into the air. Luke and Leia looked down over the blanket and smiled.

"Wow dad that's so cool", Luke said enthusiastically.

He smiled at his son as the blanket slowly descended back onto the banks. "One day you two will be strong enough with the force to do that. It is only because I am a lot older that I can do that. It takes commitment and practice, but you will both be incredible Jedi", he commented.

"Mummy said you are the most powerful Jedi ever. But she told us you got into a fight with a bad man and you died daddy. How did you live?", Leia asked curiously.

Anakin was unsure how to answer the question his daughter posed. He was not entirely sure what Padmé had told them when they were children. He was then freed from his thoughts when Padmé said, "Because, like mummy said. Daddy is the most powerful Jedi ever. He is the chosen one".

Anakin smiled at his wife but did not say anything. "One day I want to be like you dad. I want to be a Jedi in the order like you and Obi-Wan", Luke said proudly.

"You can be anything you want to be Luke", Anakin replied. He looked to his daughter as well and said, "You are both incredibly gifted children and will have the chance to help people in so many different ways. You will always have your force abilities, but that does not mean you have to become a Jedi. Being a Jedi requires a lot of sacrifices. You can still help people without becoming a Jedi. Your mother has done more for this galaxy than anyone will ever know, and she is not a Jedi", Anakin added proudly.

Leia smiled at her father's statement and replied, "Yeah. Mum is an amazing Senator. I would love to be like you when I grow up mummy".

Padmé smiled and looked at Luke and Leia and said, "Don't rush to grow up my babies."

"Mum. We are eight now, we are not babies", Luke and Leia said together.

"Well, you are still babies to me. You cannot be grown up until I say so", Padmé said with a smile.

"Is that when we get married and have children we will be grown", Leia asked.

"Well, you don't have to get married and have children if you don't want to Leia. And it is still a long time before either of you should be thinking about anything like that", Padmé stated.

"And as a Jedi, attachments are not permitted, so marriage and children are not very likely, unless the order changes its policy", Anakin added.

"You broke those rules didn't you dad", Luke said with a cheeky smile.

"Yes, I did son. I would have given up being a Jedi to be with your mother. I would have given up anything to marry her", he stated passionately.

Padmé blushed at his comment as Leia said, "And you were so young, daddy. You were only 19 when you married mummy on Naboo."

Anakin smiled at her statement, knowing Padmé must have told the twins about their secret marriage. "Yes, indeed I was very young. But it did not matter to me. I knew how I felt about your mother. And it is the same way I feel today".

"So, can I get married at 19 if I feel that way?", Leia asked.

"Absolutely not", Anakin said. "No boys until you are at least 30", he stated protectively.

Padmé laughed at his statement, seeing his true inner parent emerge and said, "Well, it doesn't matter right now because you are only 8. Now come on you two let's get you showered before dinner".

The twins stood up with their towels wrapped around them and walked back up the path into the house. Padmé remained behind with Anakin to help pack up the picnic basket and blanket.

"It is terrifying sometimes to think of how young you were. You were married at 19 Anakin", Padmé reiterated.

Anakin smiled and replied, "Padmé I would have married you at the age of nine if I could. Age was not a question for me. It was just how long it took me to wear you down and convince you to marry me. You certainly made me work for it", he added cheekily.

"I like to think I was worth it", Padmé replied wittily.

"Possibly", Anakin responded quickly. Padmé gasped in mock shock as they walked back into the house. When they were back inside Anakin said, "I will ask Geeta if she can prepare dinner for us in an hours' time. Why don't you go and check on the twins and I shall inform Obi-Wan of our plans"?

"Good idea", Padmé said, turning around to exit.

As his wife left Anakin couldn't resist saying, "By the way Padmé, you look incredible in that swimsuit".

"Thank you", Padmé said softly, as she then turned to walk towards the twin's chambers.

Anakin ran a hand through his still-damp hair as he walked towards the guest quarters that he assumed his old master was still in. As he walked down the corridor, he could feel Obi-Wan's present in the room in front of him, and he assumed Obi-Wan could feel the same. Anakin didn't need to knock before he heard Obi-Wan say, "You may come in Anakin".

He pushed the door open and walked inside slowly. Obi-Wan was sat on the floor with his legs crossed tightly, having clearly been meditating. Trying to break the ice Anakin said, "You were always much more patient for meditation than I was".

Deciding to test the water of their relationship Obi-Wan replied, "I think I was much more patient than you overall Anakin".

Anakin laughed at his old masters' response and said, "I agree".

"I take it you, Padmé and the twins went for a swim in the lake", Obi-Wan stated, clearly seeing Anakin was stood in swim shorts with a towel thrown over his shoulder.

"Yes indeed. The twins were very keen to go for a swim. Lovers of the water, just like their mother", Anakin remarked with a smile.

"Yes, they go almost every day at home when Padmé is there", Obi-Wan commented. "I think it is a good break from training and schoolwork for them", he added.

"I must commend you on your teaching of them. They should great control of the force, certainly much better than what I could do near their age that is for sure. You also very effectively taught Padmé to shelter her mind. As Vader, I was unable to penetrate her mind for information, as it was so well guarded. I have very rarely experienced that problem", Anakin stated.

Obi-Wan was unsure how to reply to his statement. After what had happened to Anakin, he had taken it upon himself to protect Padmé and the twins, but it was also him who had told Padmé that Anakin was dead. He was part of the reason why they had remained separated for the last 8 years.

Anakin knew what his master was thinking. They had spent so much time together all those years ago that he knew him almost as well as he knew himself. He then said, "I know that you feel guilty for lying to Padmé about what happened on Mustafar. Whilst it has deeply saddened me to have lost that time with Padmé, Luke and Leia, I also understand why you did it, Obi-Wan. What happened that day, I was not myself, I was a monster". He briefly paused to compose himself and then added, "I know you wanted to protect Padmé and the twins, and you knew how important it was to keep them hidden from the Emperor. But it was not just you who was responsible for my separation from Padmé. That day when the Emperor found me on the banks of Mustafar, he made me into the masked machine that was Vader, and when I awoke he told me that I was responsible for Padmé's death, and I lived with that fact everything minute of every day for the last 8 years, and he never let me forget it", Anakin said painfully.

Obi-Wan paused listening to his former apprentices' words. It was the first time either of them had heard the other one's side of the story, and it was important that they did so. Whilst Vader had committed many atrocities over the last eight years and at times Obi-Wan had convinced himself that the brother he knew was beyond redemption, he had always held onto the hope that one day he would change. He cleared his throat and said, "I cannot imagine the pain and torment you experienced living with that knowledge. I know how much you love Padmé, Anakin, and I can see how much pain it causes you knowing you cannot take back what happened that day. Believe me, if I could take back Mustafar I would do it in a heartbeat", he stated.

"As would I Obi-Wan. And you are correct. I can never take back what I did to Padmé, and truthfully, I will never fully forgive myself for it either. But Padmé has given me the gift of her forgiveness, and I plan to start to forgive myself for the things I have done. My journey to redemption cannot happen unless I forgive others along the way too", Anakin said meaningfully.

"I never thought we would be here Anakin, standing in front of one another again. But it brings me great joy to see you here today. You are a good man and a brave man, a wonderful husband and father, and I hope one day again, a good friend", Obi-Wan replied with a small smile.

"Thank you Master", Anakin replied respectfully. "You will always be part of our family here. I am indebted to you for looking after my family and protecting them when I did not. I came into your chambers to inform you we will be having dinner soon and would be honoured for you to join us".

"Yes, that would be lovely, thank you Anakin", Obi-Wan replied, as the pair turned to walk out of the room. As they departed Obi-Wan couldn't help but his eyes be drawn to the large marks on Anakin's back. He didn't say anything though, but Anakin knew he had noticed them. He glanced to the side and said to Obi-Wan, "A gift from the Emperor".

"He did this to you Anakin?", his master asked in shock.

"Yes. It was to serve as a permanent reminder of what I did to Padmé. It was the only way he could really hurt me", Anakin stated.

Obi-Wan bowed and shook his head and simply said, "I'm so sorry".

"It cannot be undone. All I can do is change it to now serve as a reminder of getting Padmé back and my promise to love and protect her forever", he replied positively.

"That is an admirable mindset. You have indeed got wiser with age", Obi-Wan commented with a smile.

"Careful there old man, I'm only thirty okay", Anakin said as they arrived in the kitchen.

"You're only thirty daddy?", Leia asked.

"Yes, Leia", Anakin replied, looking at his daughter who was sat at the kitchen table helping Padmé prepare some food with Geeta.

"Oh, so mummy is a lot older than you then?", his daughter added bravely.

Anakin laughed as Padmé stated, "I am not old Leia".

"No mummy, but you are older than daddy", Luke added, joining in on the conversation.

Anakin laughed and said, "What can I say I love older women", as he winked at his wife. "And if you want the real fossil in this room, talk to Master Kenobi. Now if you don't mind, I am going to have a shower and get ready for dinner", he said, quickly departing the room before his wife could throw any food at him from across the table.

"He certainly hasn't lost his wit and humour", Obi-Wan said to Padmé.

"No, he hasn't. If anything, he is braver now. Calling me old. Hmmm, we will see who is old", she said with a small smile.

"Can I help with anything?", Obi-Wan asked.

"It's alright Obi-Wan we are nearly done I think", Padmé said as she finished preparing the food with Geeta and the children. The group then departed into the living area to wait for dinner to be ready and for Anakin to arrive back.


	20. Chapter 20 - Games

Anakin showered quickly and returned to the kitchen to join his family. He found Geeta in the kitchen, who informed him that his family were in the living area and that dinner was nearly ready. He thanked her and then walked into the adjacent room to tell his family. As he walked in he saw his wife sat down next to Obi-Wan as Luke and Leia sat on the floor laughing and playing. He couldn't help but be saddened by scene, knowing it was likely a regular occurrence he had missed. He had missed so much with the twins and Padmé and he knew her had a lot to make up for. He shook his head realising he could not dwell on the past and needed to make the most of the short time he had with his children.

"Hi daddy", Leia said turning to see her father stood in the archway.

"Hello, Leia. How are you?", he asked.

"Very hungry", Luke interjected before Leia had the chance to reply.

"You are always hungry Luke", Leia retorted.

Anakin smiled at his children's conversation and then said, "Well, it's a good job I am here to tell you dinner is ready then".

"Yay", the twins said in unison, as they got up from the floor and ran towards the dining area in the kitchen.

Padmé smiled at her children's excitement as she got up from the chair with Obi-Wan. The three grown-ups then followed behind the children and joined them at the dinner table. Geeta had placed all the food out on the dining room table and had then departed, allowing the family to eat together in peace.

The group sat down and ate the food prepared by Geeta, Padmé, Luke and Leia. The twins occupied the majority of the airtime over dinner, but their parents and Obi-Wan were happy to listen to them talk. Anakin relished at this moment. This was the first time he had ever sat down to have a family meal and he hoped he would continue to be able to do so in the future. He was sad that he and Padmé couldn't stay any longer than planned with the twins, but he knew it was essential for their safety that he and Padmé return to their jobs on Coruscant. It was only a matter of time before he would face the Emperor. He planned to build his strength, confront his old master and kill him, ending his tyrannous reign of the galaxy.

Anakin's thoughts were interrupted by his son saying, "Can we play a game with you after dinner father?"

Anakin refocused on the present and replied, "Yes, absolutely. What is the game?"

"It's a get to know you game. We know a lot about you from mummy. But we want to ask you some questions too.", Luke said.

Anakin smiled and responded, "I think that is a really good idea Luke. I would also love to ask you and Leia some questions too so I can get to know you better as well", he added, finishing his dinner.

When they had all finished eating, Luke and Leia departed to the living room, as Padmé, Anakin and Obi-Wan cleared all the plates away. Geeta returned to the kitchen and insisted she was fine to handle it all.

"Thank you Geeta", Padmé said softly.

"It is my pleasure, My Lady. It is actually very nice to have some guests to serve. I spend so much time here alone, it is nice to simply have a job to do beyond cleaning", Geeta replied with a smile.

The family then departed and headed back into the living area to join Luke and Leia. Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel as though he was intruding on a much-needed family moment. He cleared his throat and then said, "I think I shall retire for the night. I have had a lovely day and I thank you again for the hospitality. I shall see you in the morning".

Padmé smiled at her friend and said, "Goodnight Obi-Wan, and thank you so much again for all you have done and for bringing the twins here. Sleep well", she added.

"Goodnight Master", Anakin said, his choice of words surprising both Obi-Wan and his wife.

Obi-Wan nodded and then departed. Anakin and Padmé walked back into the living area to join Luke and Leia who was sat on the floor. The couple sat close to them on the large chair, as Anakin wrapped a strong arm around Padmé pulling her close into him. He then asked, "Who would like to ask me a question first then?"

Both twins put their hand up, but Anakin said, "Why don't you go first Luke as the game was your idea".

His son smiled at being chosen first and then said, "Yay okay. What is your favourite colour?"

"Blue. Like the sky and lakes on Naboo and like my old lightsabre", he replied quickly. "What are your favourite colours?", he asked his children.

"Mine is blue too", Luke responded.

"Mine is purple", Leia replied.

"Both lovely colours", Anakin stated. "Do you have a question, Leia?", Anakin asked his daughter.

"How old were you when you and mummy met?", Leia asked.

Padmé looked a little confused and said, "I have definitely told you this story before".

"I know but I want to hear daddy tell it. You may tell it differently", she replied.

Anakin and Padmé smiled as Anakin said, "That is true. Well, we met when I was a nine-year-old slave boy on Tatooine. Your mother was the Queen of Naboo at the time. Her ship needed a spare part and I helped her, and a Jedi called Qui-Gon Jin by winning a pod race called the Boonta eve classic".

"I've seen that race before dad, it is so cool. You won that when you were nine?", he asked shocked.

"I did indeed", Anakin replied.

"Wow, that is so cool", Luke added.

"Okay back to the story", Leia said keenly.

"When I first met your mother, I asked her if she was an angel from the moons of Iago. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and I said on that very day that I would marry her, although of course I was joking, I was a slave boy at the time and your mother was a Queen", Anakin reflected with a smile.

"The Slave and the Queen, what a love story", Leia said enchanted.

"And then it became the Jedi Knight and the Senator", Anakin replied.

"You got married in secret, didn't you?", Luke asked curiously.

"Yes, we did. We couldn't fight our feelings for one another anymore, so we got married on Naboo by the lakes in Varykino. It was the best day of my life", Anakin confessed.

Padmé kissed his cheeky softly at his statement and said, "That feels like a lifetime ago".

Both Luke and Leia had other questions they wanted to ask, but they were not sure whether they would be allowed to ask them. Leia then bravely said, "What happened to you when we were born daddy? Why did mummy think you had died? Why have we never seen you until now?".

Anakin was not surprised by his daughters' question. It was more than understandable that they wanted to know why he had appeared now, despite them and their mother believing him to be dead. He paused for a moment trying to think about the best way to explain himself.

"8 years ago, just before you were born, I made a very big mistake. I trusted the wrong person. I listened to a bad man who told me to do bad things, and I hurt and upset your mummy. After that, you two and your mummy had to go and hide from the Emperor. I had a fight with Obi-Wan and he told mummy I had died to protect you from the Emperor. Because I did not die, and the bad man that I trusted was the Emperor."

"Why didn't you come looking for us when you were with the Emperor?", Luke asked.

"Because the Emperor was a very bad man, and he told me you were dead too. I thought you and your mummy had died, and you thought I had died", Anakin said as simply as possible. "I know this is very confusing, but you two just need to know that I am not with the bad man anymore and I want to look after you and your mummy forever. I will never let that bad man hurt you", he said reaching down to give the twins a hug. The twins embraced their father warmly.

Curious Leia then asked, "Was it the bad man who put mummy's name on your back?"

Anakin was very surprised by how receptive his daughter was and replied, "Yes Leia it was".

"Wow daddy you are so brave", Luke said looking up at his father in admiration.

"Yeah, I bet you aren't scared of anything", Leia said strongly.

"Well that isn't true Leia, everyone is scared of something", Anakin replied.

"But you are the best Jedi in the galaxy. What are you scared of daddy?", Leia asked.

Anakin stopped for a moment and gathered himself. Even during the clone wars, he had been branded with this iron of belief that he feared nothing. He had been given the title, 'The Hero with No Fear' by the media. In battle he did not fear anything, he knew he was a skilled fighter and had the force as his ally, and at the time he did not fear death either. But there was always something he feared since he was a boy, he feared losing people. He had lost his mother as a padawan and hadn't been able to save her, and he vowed he would never let it happen again. That vow was tested when he experienced premonitions of Padmé dying in childbirth, just as she had with his mother before she was killed. He had been unable to control his fear and did anything he could to stop it from coming true, and that had meant betraying the Jedi and joining Sidious.

"There are very few things in this galaxy that can hurt me, Leia. But I am scared of one thing, and that is losing you, Luke or your mother. I love you three more than anything in the galaxy, and I could not lose any of you. The reason I joined the bad man before you two were born was to save your mother from nightmares I had about her dying. I could not let your mummy die, so I did all I could to save her. But it was not enough, and for the last 8 years I have lived believing I killed your mummy, and there is nothing more painful in the entire galaxy", Anakin said emotionally. A tear escaped his eye as he wiped it away with his human hand. Padmé comforted her husband, as she too was emotional from his proclamation. Luke and Leia both stood up and said, "Its okay daddy. You won't lose us now we are here, and we are going to be a family".

The four of them embraced in a strong hug, as Anakin said, "That is all I have ever wanted. I love you three so much".

"We love you too daddy", the twins said in unison, still embracing their mother and father.

When the hug ended Padmé said, "Right now you two, let's get you into bed. I want you to be well-rested for another day with us tomorrow before we have to go".

"Okay mummy", the twins replied, as they got up and started to walk out of the living area.

Padmé and Anakin walked behind the twins, simply holding hands not having to speak to one another to know what they meant.

When they arrived at the doors to the twins neighbouring rooms, Anakin said, "Right let's get pyjamas on and teeth brushed and then we can have a big cuddle before bed".

Luke and Leia both then ran into their rooms to get into their pyjamas, and emerged moments later with their toothbrushes. Anakin and Padmé escorted them to the bathroom to oversee them, as they stood near the sink too short to see themselves properly in the large mirror. Once they had brushed their teeth, the twins went into their individual rooms. Anakin and Padmé followed Leia behind into her room as she got into bed. Padmé kissed her daughter on the forehead and tucked her in gently and said, "I love you so Leia. I missed you and Luke so much. Sleep well and I will see you in the morning", she said softly.

"Goodnight mummy", Leia replied, kissing her back.

Padmé then stood from the bed and exited the room to go and see Luke. Anakin took his wife's place and said to Leia, "Goodnight Princess, I love you so much". Leia then leaned up to kiss her father on the cheek softly. He smiled at the sweet action and returned the gesture by kissing her on the forehead.

"Goodnight daddy. I am so happy you are my daddy", Leia said softly, as Anakin stood up from the bed and turned the lights out with the force, closing the door quietly behind him.

He then turned to walk into Luke's room and saw his wife was just kissing him goodnight. He entered his son's room and walked towards the bed. Luke reached up to give his father a warm hug, which Anakin returned.

"Goodnight father. I am so happy we are a family together now", he said with a smile.

"Me too Luke. I love you all so much. Sleep well son", Anakin replied softly. He then slowly walked out of the room, again turning the lights off with the force and closing the door behind him. Padmé was waiting for him outside the room, as they then walked down the corridor together and headed towards their chambers.

Anakin took his wife's hand in his as they walked and brought it up to his lips to kiss it softly before saying, "I cannot tell you what today had meant to me Padmé. To meet our two amazing, beautiful, talented, bright children brings me so much happiness. Despite the hard questions, I think it was important for me to be honest with them about what has happened and why I haven't been here for them. But I also needed them to know how much I love them and how committed I am to ensuring the three of you are safe now".

"I know that must have been hard for you Anakin. But like you said they are highly intuitive clever children and they needed to know what has happened. But I also do not doubt for a second that they know how much you love them and me, and I know they love you so much already. I am so proud of you", Padmé said, a tear falling down her cheek slowly. She wiped it away as they arrived at their chambers. They too wanted to retire at a decent hour so they could spend as much time with the twins as possible.

Anakin felt intoxicated by his feelings of love for his wife and children. He did not know that it was physically possible to ache because you loved someone so much, but that was the way he felt about his children and Padmé. Every time he looked at his wife, the feeling consumed him. Padmé sat at the dresser to take out her hair and jewellery. Anakin reached into his pocket and pulled out his multi-use comm device. Padmé looked at him curiously as he flicked through the device before saying, "Dance with me".

Padmé raised an eyebrow at his statement, but then the music started to play softly in the background. He reached out his gloved hand to his wife as she stood from the chair and took his hand. He pulled her in close, taking in her soft skin, chocolate brown hair and enchanting smell. Padmé looked up into her husband's sky blue eyes and said, "Why are we dancing?".

Anakin smiled and asked, "Am I not allowed to dance with my wife. After all, you are such an effortless dancer", he commented.

"Yes, not bad for an old woman wouldn't you say", she replied wittingly.

Anakin laughed at her reference from their earlier conversation and said, "Indeed you are fabulous Padmé. And despite you being older than me, it does not detract from how youthful and beautiful you are. It amazes me you have hardly changed at all. When we were together in the clone wars I had committed your body to memory, and I am astounded at how you are still truly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, no one even compares", he added, turning her around in his arms gently to the music.

"I cannot remember the last time I danced like this. Well I danced at the Empire Day Ball, but it was only brief", Padmé stated.

"Ahh yes, that night you wore the most stunning red dress. If you were trying to blend in Padmé your attempt was feeble, there was no one in the room who compared", Anakin replied.

Padmé looked at her husband confused and said, "How do you know what I wore. I don't remember Vader being there the night of the Empire Day Ball. In fact, me, Bail and Mon commented on the strangeness of that fact".

"Yes indeed, that was the point. That night I was not there as Vader. I attended in disguise as an Imperial Office. The same Imperial Officer who danced with you and spoke to you on the balcony", Anakin said to her informatively.

Padmé looked at him a little shocked and said, "I see".

"It's funny actually. I remember that night being rather taken about by you. There was something about your presence that seemed so familiar. Of course, at the time I had no idea it was you as I believed you were dead, and I convinced myself it was merely bitterness at the fact that they had replaced you", Anakin reflective.

"Quite ironic then in hindsight, because I had actually replaced myself as Senator of Naboo", Padmé said with a smile.

"Yes, I guess you did", Anakin mused.

As the music continued Anakin picked Padmé up and held her in his arms continuing to dance slowly to the music. Padmé wrapped her arms around her husbands' neck and looked into his eyes and said, "I still cannot believe we are here. Over the last few days, I have had to pinch myself so many times to convince myself this isn't all one beautiful dream, but that you are actually here with me and the twins and you are coming back to us, back to the light".

Anakin kissed his wife softly and said, "I know what you mean Padmé. I cannot tell you how many dreams I have had about you over the last 8 years. And now I am standing here holding you in my arms again, and I never want to let go ever", he said passionately.

Padmé smiled and said, "Well you will have to eventually".

"Never", Anakin replied cheekily. "I can sleep with you in my arms, Angel".

"I love you Anakin", Padmé said softly.

"Words cannot express how much I love you Padmé", Anakin replied passionately.

He then put his wife down gently and they shared a passionate kiss. The pair then prepared for bed, as it was already getting late. Anakin got into bed first and then was joined by his wife as she exited the fresher in her nightdress. As she got into bed Anakin kissed her exposed shoulder and said, "You are so beautiful Padmé".

"Thank you, Anakin", Padmé said blushing slightly. The couple kissed one another goodnight before falling asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning Anakin woke up early and got out of bed quietly as to now wake his wife. He got dressed in the fresher and headed to the gymnasium. Despite being there to see the twins Anakin knew he could let his training regime falter as a result. He needed to be as strong as possible. As Anakin walked into the gymnasium, he was surprised to see his old master sat on the floor in there. Obi-Wan had always been an early riser, and it was a habit he had attempted to engrain in his apprentice, with a significant degree of resistance during his padawan years.

"Habits never die I see", Anakin commented, as he walked towards Obi-Wan in the middle of the room. The Jedi Master turned to face Anakin and said, "I apologise, I hope you didn't mind I used the facilities here. They are far better than what I have had access to on Naboo".

"You think this gymnasium is good you should see the one I have at my establishments on Coruscant, it is very comprehensive, filled with the latest droids and mechanics to enhance my training potential", Anakin replied.

"I see. Well, it does not surprise me that you have had to maintain high standards of training.", Obi-Wan commented.

"I do not wish to disturb your training. I can wait", Anakin said politely.

"No need, I have mostly finished", Obi-Wan commented.

"Well, perhaps I could benefit from some instruction", Anakin said with a small smile.

"I am unsure there is anything you can learn from me now Anakin", Obi-Wan stated matter-of-factly.

"I doubt that", Anakin stated. "Just permit me a few moments to warm up first", he added.

Obi-Wan nodded as Anakin walked over to the adjacent corner of the gymnasium and started to warm up, doing a combination of running, shadow combination moves and stretches. Obi-Wan watched his old apprentice out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but be impressed. The last time he had seen him fight was on the banks of Mustafar, where Anakin had attempted to gain an advantage by jumping above him. He had been blinded by hatred and arrogance then, but now Obi-Wan noticed he was a lot more mature and calculated with his movements. He noticed his apprentice was considerably stronger too, as he saw Anakin muscle's tense as he moved to warm up. He couldn't help but feel intimidated by Anakin, after all, he was confused in knowing who he was, whether the man in front of him was the man he used to know or a new man entirely.

"Have you finished staring at me, Master Jedi", Anakin asked jokingly, as he walked towards his master who seemed lost in his own thoughts.

Obi-Wan was taken about by his statement and replied, "Sorry I appeared to have been distracted. It is very strange to be standing here in the same room as you Anakin. Truthfully, I never thought I would see the day. And now here you are, and you are much more than the man I faced on the banks of Mustafar. You are older, wiser, more patient, and beyond that, you are a husband and a father".

Anakin smiled and replied, "It brings me happiness being able to make peace with you Master. I know we both suffered after what happened on Mustafar. But I want us to get beyond that, and maybe one day we can be brothers again". At that moment he reached his hand out to shake Obi-Wan's. The men shook hands, and then Anakin drew his old master in for a hug. Neither had ever been one for displays of affection, but it brought both men a great degree of comfort. When their hug ended, Anakin said, "Now, what would you like to teach me, Master?".

Obi-Wan smiled and responded, "I think the true question is what can you teach me Anakin?".

Anakin reached for his lightsabre on his hilt, but then paused and said, "I do not wish to fight you with my lightsabre. It is red and that is not who I am anymore".

Obi-Wan paused for a moment. He had forgotten that Anakin would likely only possess his red blade, and it was understandable that he did not want to fight him with it. He placed a hand on his apprentices' shoulder and said, "Well I guess we can save the practical teachings for another time. We both still have a lot to learn Anakin, but even if you do not realise it, the decision you just made now is not one you could have learnt from any amount of training, but was as a result of you changing within".

"Yes. I have felt myself changing. It has been happening at an increasing rate. I am findings increasingly difficult to become Darth Vader when I need to because he is now further away from the man I am now and the man I want to become", Anakin said honestly.

"I can sense that conflict in you. And I appreciate how difficult that must be for you having to continue your pretence as Vader. However, it will not be forever, and now you are consciously aware that that is not who you are anymore, you are stepping closer towards the light side every day", Obi-Wan stated.

"It is because of Padmé. Everything I do is for her. I want to be a better man for her. I want to be the best possible husband I can be to her. The man I should have been all those years ago when I married her. And now the twins are in my life I want to continue to change so that Luke and Leia can grow up in a galaxy where they do not have to live in fear", Anakin said candidly.

"That is very admirable Anakin. I will admit, I had always believed that your emotions and feelings for Padmé were a distraction for you and that it divided your commitment away from your duties as a Jedi. But now I see that it was all meant to be that way. That Padmé and the twins were all part of your journey and are now the catalysts of your redemption. It was a path that no one could have written for you but was one you had to walk alone to establish", Obi-Wan replied wisely.

"Indeed, my friend", Anakin said. "Now, if you will permit me, I need to do some training. You are welcome to join me if you think you can keep up", Anakin said wittily as he reached for the metal bar and started to do repetitive pull-ups.

Obi-Wan looked up at Anakin and raised an eyebrow and replied, "I think I will kindly pass on your invitation. I was never the sort for that kind of training, especially now. I am not cut out for that".

"As you wish", Anakin replied, as he continued to do pull-ups.

"I shall leave you to it", Obi-Wan said, as he walked out of the gymnasium leaving Anakin to his rigorous routine.

Obi-Wan returned to his quarters to have a shower and then headed to the kitchen to make some food. As he entered, he was greeted by the twins and Padmé, who were making pancakes.

"Morning Obi-Wan", Luke and Leia said in unison.

"Good morning children, Padmé", Obi-Wan said, nodding respectfully to Padmé.

"Have you seen Anakin, Obi-Wan?", Padmé asked as she plated up some pancakes and fruit for the children.

"Yes. He is in the gymnasium. I was invited to join him, but I am simply not up to his standards", he commented honestly.

"I don't think anyone is", Padmé said concerned.

"Mummy, can we go and watch the Holonet in the living room please?", Luke asked as he stuffed his face with berries.

"Yes. But please do not make any mess okay", Padmé said to the twins as they departed the room.

Padmé waited for the twins to be gone before she turned to Obi-Wan and said, "I am worried about him Obi-Wan. Every day he pushes himself so hard in training. I know he plans to face the Emperor and kill him, but at what cost to his health?", she asked concerned.

"I think his biggest concern is that he is not immune to the effects of sith lightning", Obi-Wan commented.

"That is what worries me the most. And he has respiratory problems too. It was horrible, I was watching him the gymnasium two days ago and he suddenly collapsed. I had to retrieve his mask for him to put on so the mechanics in it could augment his breathing to regulate it", she said, visibly distressed.

Obi-Wan looked at Padmé with surprise. He was not aware of this fact and assumed he had sustained these respiratory problems on Mustafar. Trying to calm Padmé he said, "You said you had to help Anakin by putting on his mask. I assume that when he faces the Emperor, he will face him as Vader so he will be wearing his suit and mask. That will reduce the risk of such a complication occurring significantly".

"Yes, that is true. But like you said Obi-Wan, he is not immune to the effects of Sith Lightning, and it could affect the wiring in his suit and its ability to help him. If Sidious was to compromise the function of his suit, he could weaken him enough to be able to overpower him", Padmé eyes started to fill with tears as she said, "I cannot lose him Obi-Wan. I've just got him back, I cannot lose him again", she added emotionally.

Obi-Wan reached over and placed a comforting hand on Padmé's shoulder and said, "Everything will be alright Padmé. Anakin is the strongest Jedi that has ever lived, and I am confident in his ability to defeat the Emperor. He just needs to seize the opportunity at the right time", he added.


	21. Chapter 21 - Stories

Obi-Wan and Padmé sat together and ate breakfast in relative silence. They were joined by Anakin a little while later, who had showered and got dressed for the day.

"Daddy", the twins said in unison as they returned to the kitchen and hugged their father. Anakin lifted Luke and Leia up, holding one in each arm and said, "Good morning. Now I smell pancakes", he remarked.

"Yes. Mummy makes them for us if we are good", Luke commented.

"Now that is a lovely treat", Anakin replied to his son. "I hope I am not too late to have some", he added.

"I have kept a pile warm for you over there", Padmé said to her husband as she signalled to the covered plate on the side table. Anakin picked up the plate and walked over to Padmé and kissed her softly and said, "Thank you, Angel".

"What are we doing today mummy?", Leia asked her mother.

"Well, that is up to the two of you. What would you like to do? I want us to be able to make the most of the time with you before we leave tomorrow morning", Padmé said, trying her best to hide the sadness in her voice.

"Do you and daddy have to leave mummy?", Luke asked, disappointed.

Padmé stroked her son's blonde hair softly and replied, "Yes, baby we do. Mummy and daddy have to return to our jobs. Because we can't make anyone suspicious", she said trying to simplify their situation.

"Will this be forever?", Leia asked.

Anakin swallowed a mouthful of pancakes and said, "No it won't Leia. Mummy, Obi-Wan and I are working on a plan. And when we get it right, we will be able to live together as a family. You won't have to hide from the Emperor anymore and there will be peace", he said proudly.

"Yay, then we can be a proper family", Leia said with a smile.

"Yes, Leia. We want that too", Padmé said returning a soft smile to her daughter.

Anakin finished up his breakfast and said, "Perhaps we could go for a walk around the gardens and near the lake. This estate came with a considerable amount of land. And it is nice to be able to go out somewhere and walk around. That certainly is not possible on Coruscant".

"Yes, I think that would be lovely", Padmé replied.

"If permitted, I will stay here and let you enjoy your time together as a family. You don't have long together and I want you to have that time alone with each other", Obi-Wan said politely.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan. But please do not feel like you cannot join us. You are part of the family", Padmé commented with a smile.

"Thank you, My Lady, and you know I will always be grateful for that", Obi-Wan replied. "A lot has changed over the last few days, and I think I would benefit from some more meditation and making the use of peace and quiet too", he added with a smile.

"Absolutely Obi-Wan. Enjoy", Padmé said, as the master Jedi departed the kitchen towards his guest chambers.

Anakin then turned to the twins and said, "Right you two let's get your shoes on".

"Yay", the twins said together as Padmé and Anakin departed the kitchen and headed towards the back of the house for their walk.

Padmé had not asked, but Anakin still wanted to confirm by saying, "I can assure you we are entirely safe here Padmé. This estate is the only property for miles, and I own all of the surrounding lands, and there are no troops stationed here so we will not be seen by anyone".

Padmé smiled, appreciating the reassurance from her husband and said, "That is reassuring to know. But I never doubted your judgement of the situation Anakin."

Anakin nodded to his wife as he showed them the route out of the house and on to the long winding path that would take them on their scenic walk.

"Daddy this place is so pretty. Why don't you come a lot?", Leia asked as she walked in front of her parents with her brother.

"Well, I am very busy with work so I cannot travel often. And I did not have a reason to come here because I would just be on my own", Anakin replied solemnly. "But now I have you three to share it with and it feels much more like a home than simply a remote estate I own".

"Yeah now we can come more as a family", Luke said.

"Absolutely. I think this will be where we meet now. It is a good place between Naboo and Coruscant", Padmé commented.

"Will you come and live with us on Naboo when the Emperor is dead dad?", Luke asked.

"I will go wherever you want me to go to Luke. It makes no difference to me as long as I am with you, Leia and your mother. But I know how much your mother loves Naboo. She had always talked about having children there and where she wanted your room to be", he reminisced.

"Yeah. Right next to the gardens", Leia said as she skipped in front with her brother.

"Yes", Anakin said softly, trying not to appear upset by remembering all he had missed out on.

Padmé could see the expression on Anakin's face and took his hand. He turned to Padmé and smiled at her softly.

"Daddy", Leia stated curiously.

"Yes Leia", Anakin replied to his daughter.

"Do you want us to become Jedi like you and Obi-Wan?", she asked.

Anakin paused for a moment, remarking on how his daughter had referred to him as a Jedi. He couldn't help but find it painfully ironic that during the entirety of his children's life he had been serving under a Sith and was responsible for the hunting down of many Jedi.

Shaking himself from his thoughts he replied, "You and Luke are free to be whatever you want to be Leia. You have been born with the gift of being force-sensitive, and you got that gift from me, but it can also be a burden. It requires a lot of discipline and sacrifice to be a Jedi, and that was something I never truly understood. No matter how hard I tried I still broke the rules. Attachment was forbidden yet I still married your mother. But you have also been bestowed many gifts by your mother such as kindness, patience and passion, and there is so much good you can do to the galaxy with those gifts beyond being a Jedi", Anakin stated honestly.

Padmé was taken aback a little by his very candid statement. She wasn't sure what he was going to say in response to her daughters' question, but she was shocked by how effortless his answer had been.

"Yes, like mummy has been a Queen and a Senator", Luke commented.

"Indeed, she has. Your mother has achieved much more for this galaxy than I have", he added, looking into Padmé's eyes lovingly.

"Oh, stop Anakin don't be silly. You were a war hero and you are again going to bring balance to the force and bestow peace upon the Galaxy", Padmé said to her husband.

"We have pretty awesome parents", Leia said turning around to face Anakin and Padmé. The pair smiled back at their daughter as Anakin said, "Well we have pretty awesome children".

The family continued their walk down the long path, passing the lake on one side, and a vast field of flowers on the other. "It truly is beautiful here Anakin", Padmé commented.

"Not as beautiful as you, Padmé", Anakin replied winking at his wife jokingly.

"Oooh, oooh I have a question", Luke stated putting his hand up to attract his family's attention.

"Go ahead Luke", Anakin said loving his son's enthusiasm.

"For mummy first. What is your favourite thing about daddy?", the boy asked.

"Can I say more than one thing?", Padmé asked her son.

"Okay. What are your favourite things about daddy?", her son re-worded.

Padmé paused for a moment in thought as they continued to walk down the path. She then said, "Well your father is incredibly brave. He is an excellent fighter and a loyal friend. He is very handsome, and he has always made me feel like the most loved woman in the galaxy", she said with a smile.

"And you are", Anakin replied, bringing his wife's hand up to his lips and kissing it softly.

"Aww mummy that was sweet", Leia replied, loving to hear about her parent's love story.

"Okay your turn dad", Luke commented, as he threw a stick into the lake next to them on the path.

"My favourite things about your mother. Well, firstly she is one of the most selfless people I have ever met. You have always served the people Padmé and you have such a kind heart in all you do for others. You are fantastic mother, wife, senator, queen and friend. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. And most of all, out of every man in the galaxy, you gave me, a slave boy from Tatooine the privilege of being your husband and the father of your children", Anakin replied meaningfully.

Padmé blushed at his words as Luke said, "Wow okay, dad wins".

They all laughed at Luke's statement, as Leia then commented, "You two have such a sweet love story. They should turn it into a book", she added.

"The Slave and the Senator. The Queen and the Jedi", Anakin said, rattling off several potential titles.

"I prefer to keep our love life private", Padmé said softly. "I guess it is a force of habit more than anything else. Our whole marriage during the clone wars was a secret. Then we both lost one another, and now we have been reunited it must remain a secret in public", Padmé remarked sadly.

Anakin wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and said, "That will not be the case forever my love. Soon when the Emperor is dead and the galaxy is at peace, we can declare our love for one another publicly and to hell with anyone who objects", he said strongly.

"Anakin", Padmé said, not liking the language in front of the children.

"I apologise. The point is that it will not be long before we will be able to live together in peace as a family", Anakin said with a smile.

"Mummy. Do you think you will have any more babies now daddy is back?", Leia asked curiously.

Padmé looked at Anakin, slightly shocked by her daughter's unexpected question. Padmé had always explained to Luke and Leia that they were her family and that she did not intend to be with anyone after she believed Anakin was dead. But now they had been reunited, that was not the case.

"I'm not sure Leia. It is not something that we want right now, because the time is not right, but perhaps in the future yes", Padmé replied, remaining forever the diplomat.

Anakin smiled at his wife's politically astute answer as Luke said, "What about you dad. Do you want more children?".

Anakin ran a hand through his hair and then said, "As your mother said Luke it is not the time right now. And truthfully until about a week ago, I could never have imagined having children. I have never wanted anything more than to be the father of your mother's children, and I certainly would love to have another child, but the final decision is up to your mother. It is her body after all", he commented.

Padmé smiled at his answer. They had briefly spoken about the prospect of having another child, on the ship on the way here. But beyond that conversation, it had not been discussed.

The group continued to walk around the lake and arrived at the end of the path that took them back towards the house. "Mummy, I'm hungry", Luke said, rubbing his tummy to emphasis his hunger.

"Well when we get inside, we can ask Geeta if she will prepare some lunch for us", Padmé said as they walked back through the garden and into the house.

The family arrived back in the house and walked towards the kitchen. When they walked in, they saw Geeta already preparing them some sandwiches. "I thought you would be hungry", Geeta commented with a smile.

Padmé smiled back at her and said, "You can read these children's mind, Geeta. Thank you so much".

"It is a pleasure My Lady", Geeta replied as she finished making the sandwiches and plating them up.

The family sat down at the table in the kitchen and started to eat the sandwiches Geeta had made. Anakin took a bit and said, "These are great Geeta. It reminds me of how good food can be. Much better than military ration packs".

"I can imagine Sir", Geeta replied. She paused for a moment as she started to clear away and said, "Might I ask when you are leaving Sir?".

Anakin swallowed his mouthful and then replied, "Myself and Padmé are leaving early tomorrow morning, as we have a long journey back to Coruscant. But Master Obi-Wan and the twins are free to stay for longer if they wish", he added.

"Okay Master, thank you. I will be sad to see you go. It has been lovely having guests here", Geeta commented.

"Hopefully we will return soon", Padmé stated. "It is a good place for us to come and meet the twins. As you can imagine, given Anakin's position we have to arrange everything with the utmost discretion", she added.

"Of course, My Lady. Hopefully, you will not have to do so forever", Geeta stated, insinuating her knowledge of Anakin's intentions.

"I really hope so Geeta", Padmé stated.

"When will we see you, next mummy?", Leia asked, picking up on the conversation by the adults.

"I am not sure sweetheart. But I promise you it will be as soon as possible. Daddy just has to be careful, because he is around the Emperor and he can't let him guess what we are planning", Padmé explained to her children.

"You're Darth Vader, aren't you father", Luke stated bluntly.

Anakin sharply swallowed the piece of sandwich in his mouth and looked at his son. Anakin knew that what Padmé had told them before was all based off her belief that he was dead. Even Padmé did not know that Anakin had been Darth Vader, so how did the twins know, he wondered.

"Yes, I am", he replied.

"How did you know that Luke?", Padmé asked shocked.

Luke paused for a second and then said, "Well you have the force like Obi-Wan, but you aren't a Jedi anymore. And you said you work for the Emperor, and the man always with the Emperor who has a lightsaber is Darth Vader".

Both Anakin and Padmé were incredibly shocked by their children's deductions as Anakin aid, "You truly are your mother's children, so bright and astute.". He paused and then looked at Luke and Leia and said, "I was Darth Vader. I was tricked and lied to by the Emperor and I became a bad man. But I am not him anymore. I have to wear the mask as a disguise now. But I want to be a good man now, for your mother and for you two. I want to be Anakin Skywalker again and restore peace and freedom to the Galaxy".

"Mummy always said you were a good man", Leia said softly.

"Well, that's why it is so important for me to become that man. Because your mother is always right", Anakin replied, turning to his wife at his side.

The twins laughed at his statement as they finished eating their lunch.

"What do you want to do this afternoon you two?", Padmé asked the children.

"Can we do some training with daddy?", Luke asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah we can show you what Obi-Wan has taught us", Leia added.

"If that is what you would like to do then yes of course", Anakin said to the twins.

Padmé stood up from the table and cleared away their plates. Anakin then said, "Let's go to the gymnasium and do it. There is plenty of space there and I have some equipment too. Do you have your own lightsaber's?", he asked.

"Yeah, we do. But Obi-Wan has them to keep them safe", Luke replied.

"Okay. Well perhaps it would be wise to go and ask Obi-Wan for them", he stated.

"Make sure you knock before you go in", Padmé told the children. "And be polite and say thank you", she added, as Luke and Leia walked down the hall towards the Jedi Master's guest chambers.

Once the twins had left Padmé and Anakin remained standing in the kitchen in relative silence. Neither of them had expected to have to explain that Anakin had been Darth Vader, and they had been caught massively off guard by the twin's intuitiveness. Luke and Leia returned several moments later with their saber's in their hands. Anakin paused and suddenly realised that only this morning he had refused to fight Obi-Wan with his red blade. He could not use that to train his with his children, he would simply have to instruct them without the use of his saber.

"Dad, Obi-Wan says he has something he wants to give you. He wants you to go and see him", Leia told her father.

Anakin raised an eyebrow in confusion before saying, "Okay thank you, Leia. Why don't you make your way to the gymnasium with your mother and I shall meet you there in a minute".

His family agreed and left the kitchen as he walked towards his old master's chambers. The door was left open from when the twins left moments ago, so Anakin walked in. Obi-Wan was stood looking out the window with his hands behind his back. "You requested me Master", Anakin stated respectfully, still unsure what Obi-Wan wanted to give him.

"Yes, I did", Obi-Wan replied. "Luke and Leia informed me that they wanted to do some training with you and show you what I have taught them".

"Yes, they did. I was unsure whether they would have their own saber's already. But I will not train them with mine, so will have to do without", Anakin stated. He paused and ran a hand through his hair and said, "They know I was Darth Vader. Luke came right out and asked me. I didn't know they were so intuitive. You have done well to train them Obi-Wan, I am incredibly grateful for all you have done for my children and Padmé", he stated.

"Indeed, they are incredible children", Obi-Wan stated. "But I am not surprised at all given their parentage. And with regards to them knowing you were Vader. It does not change the way they feel about you and it does not change who you are now and the man you want to become", he added.

"What was it you wanted to show me, master?", Anakin asked again.

Obi-Wan turned to face his old apprentice and commented, "You never were very patient Anakin". He then reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a lightsaber. Anakin recognised it straight away as his old saber, and he remembered seeing Obi-Wan retrieve it from the banks of Mustafar.

"My old saber", Anakin said, slightly shocked to see it.

"I have kept it with me all these years. I hoped one to give it to Luke, but it seems only right I return it to its true owner. And now you can train with Luke and Leia. You can fight as Anakin Skywalker again", Obi-Wan stated as he reached out and handed Anakin the weapon. Anakin took it slowly in his gloved hand and inspected it. He couldn't believe he was holding his saber again.

He looked up at Obi-Wan and replied, "Thank you, Master". He then turned and exited the room leaving Obi-Wan to his meditation.


	22. Chapter 22 - Demonstrations

Anakin quickly made his way to the gymnasium to join his family. There he saw Luke and Leia warming up with Padmé by running in a circle. They had all clearly changed into clothes more suitable for training, and Anakin could not help but admire how good his wife managed to look in exercise gear.

"Daddy, we are all ready to do some training", Luke said as he and Leia did a couple of stretches alongside their mother.

"Great. I am very excited to see what you two can do", Anakin commented.

"Are we going to be fighting each other?", Leia asked curiously.

"No. As you have real lightsaber's I cannot risk one of you striking the other by mistake. And believe me, being struck by a saber is very painful. If you want to use your saber's, you can practice on a droid or posts I have here in the gym", Anakin stated.

Padmé smiled at her husband's instruction, noting how his first priority was the twin's safety.

"But first I thought what would be good to do is practice some defence moves. So deflecting blaster shots", Anakin commented.

"Obi-Wan always says to us, defence is the best attack", Luke said, reciting the words he knew all too well.

"Ahh yes indeed, Obi-Wan would say that. I never really took that approach. I was much more attack is the best attack", Anakin stated with a smile.

"That's a shock", Padmé replied quickly. The twins laughed at her response as Anakin turned to his wife, admiring her chosen attire for the session. Padmé saw him gaze at her but did not say anything.

"So, I am going to show you how to deflect some shots, and then you are going to practice. So Padmé, if you don't mind will you do the honours", he stated, as he called a blaster to his hand and gestured for his wife to take it. Padmé looked at her husband shocked and confused as he added, "Your mother was always an excellent shot. This will be good practice for both of us".

"Are you sure Anakin?", Padmé asked.

"Absolutely.", he replied. He then looked to Luke and Leia and said "Obi-Wan is right that you need to always be able to defend yourselves. What I want you to start practising is learning how to predict when a shot is going to come and from where, by feeling it in the force", Anakin instructed.

"I will not shoot at the twins", Padmé said strongly, "What if I hit them?".

Anakin smiled and said, "You didn't express that kind of concern when I asked you to shoot at me. And don't worry, I have a training droid the twins can use, they are soft pellets that will bounce off them if it was to hit them".

"Okay", Padmé said reassured.

"But yes, I want you to aim to hit me Padmé", he replied confidently as he reached for his saber on the hilt of his belt. He took it out and ignited it, the blue kyber crystal shining brightly through the length of the saber. Padmé was surprised to see Anakin ignite a blue saber, and smiled fondly, seeing the man stood in front of her was Anakin Skywalker.

"Go on mum, get him", Leia said, as Padmé moved to stand far enough away from Anakin to not be point-blank, but close enough that she had a good aim.

"I want you two to go and stand behind the glass guard there. If a blaster shot is to deflect, I do not want it to hit either of you. But I want you to watch what I do, and also concentrate on your mother and see if you can feel through the force and predict what she is going to do", Anakin instructed.

The twins moved over to behind the shielding as Anakin nodded at his wife. Padmé raised the blaster in her arm and closed one eye, aiming for her husband shoulder. She was anxious about hitting him, but she also knew that Anakin had deflected a lot worse than a single blaster shot. Padmé aimed and pulled the trigger. Almost instantly Anakin moved to deflect the shot, bringing his sabre in front of his body to block it.

"Again Padmé. But try and hit me this time", Anakin said as he remained in his fight stance and winked at his wife.

Padmé stood ready to fire again, and aimed several times, moving position and area she targeted on her husbands' body. Once again Anakin effortlessly deflected the shots, ensuring he aimed them away from Padmé. He then stood down and turned to the twins.

"Wow dad, that was amazing", Luke said.

"Yes, and mum you are a good shooter. I think normally you would have hit him lots", Leia said, wanting to make her mum feel better.

Anakin smiled as he placed his saber back on his belt and said, "Right, now I want you two to try something with a practice droid". He walked over to the storage section of the gym and brought out a small training droid.

The twins walked over to join their father. He crouched down to their level and said, "This droid is going to shoot out small rubber pellets that will simulate blaster shots. They will not fire out as quickly so you will have more time. I want you to try it one at a time, so you don't interfere with one another's concentration. Luke you first", Anakin said. He leaned down to the droid and programmed in a timed session.

"I want you to concentrate on the droid and feel through the force as you felt me do. It will take practice, but I am confident you can both do it", Anakin added. He then stepped back from the droid and moved to let Luke be near the droid. Leia stood next to him as they watched Luke prepare for the session to start.

The droid started making beeping noises and fired its first pellet. Despite it not being anywhere near as fast as a blaster shot, Luke was not prepared but managed to dodge it by moving. Anakin watched his son and said, "Stay calm Luke and focus, feel it through the force".

Luke refocused himself and gripped his saber tighter as he focused on his force connection. When the next pellet was fired, Luke moved his saber in front of his chest to block it.

"Well done son", Anakin replied cheerfully. "Now do that again", he stated.

Padmé stood back and watched as her son deflected the next few pellets, as well as bravely taking one to the leg, but persevering. She couldn't believe how much he resembled his father and smiled at the fact. He will be an incredible Jedi one day, Padmé thought to herself. The session ended moments later and Luke was applauded by his family.

"Wow Luke you looked so cool", Leia said to her brother admiringly.

"Thanks, sis", Luke said with a proud smile on his face as he detracted his saber.

"Leia your turn", Anakin stated. "So, concentrate on the droid and your connection to the force will guide your movements to deflect the shots", he instructed again to his daughter.

"Got it daddy", Leia said, as she swallowed her worries and ignited her saber. Anakin stood back a few feet after instructing the droid to repeat the session. The first shot hit Leia, but she brushed it off to refocus.

"That's good Leia, focus on your feeling through the force", her father instructed again. The next two pellets were released in quick succession and Leia managed to deflect the first with her saber and dodge the second. "Well done Leia", her father complimented. She smiled at her father's and continued to work to deflect the next few pellets, before being hit on the arm. Like her brother, she persevered until the end of the session, before turning her saber off too.

"That was excellent Leia well done", Anakin stated, as he moved to turn the droid off.

He then gestured for both twins to come to him as he said, "You both did incredibly well. I cannot remember ever doing that well on my first try. You are both very intuitive. You must continue to practice, but as you master your skills you will find it comes naturally to you", he said with a smile.

Padmé watched her husband and children from several metres away, admiring the way Anakin so effortlessly taught his children, balancing the level of serious instruction and praise. She had also been blown away by her children's abilities; they truly were their fathers' children.

"Then one day we will be able to do what you showed us dad", Luke said excitedly.

Anakin smiled and said, "Yes indeed".

"I bet you can do much more than that father", Leia stated.

Anakin looked up to his wife and said, "Whilst your mother is an excellent shot, I have to admit I have fought against greater challenges. But that was a demonstration to help you understand, so it couldn't be too complex", he added.

As Padmé walked over to join her children she said, "You both did so well, I am so proud of you both. And not because you managed to deflect some of them, but because you carried on even when you got hit. You didn't give up, and that is such a wonderful trait, don't ever lose that", she said as she touched each of her children's cheeks softly.

"Your mother is right. Being a Jedi is so much more than being able to fight, it is about never giving up in the fight for peace and justice. We are the people's soldiers", he stated proudly.

"So cool", Luke said, still trying to process what he and Leia had learnt.

"Right you two, I think you both need a bath, and then maybe you can relax and watch something on the Holonet before dinner", Padmé instructed to her children.

"Yes mum", the twins replied in unison.

"Go up and I will meet you in the bathroom. I'm just going to help your dad tidy up", Padmé stated.

"Okay mum", they replied, as they turned and left the gymnasium.

Anakin ran his human hand through his hair and said, "They did incredibly, didn't they. I wish I had been that in tune with the force at that age".

"Indeed, they are such talented and wonderful children Anakin", Padmé replied with a soft smile as she reached to pick up the twins' jackets, they had discarded during their warm-up. As she was bent over, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and turn her around.

Anakin smiled at his wife as he turned her to face him and said, "And you, my dear wife, are an excellent shot".

"Do you think so?", she asked. "I don't think I'm as good as I used to be, I'm a little out of practice", she stated.

"I think had you been facing anyone but a Jedi, you would have taken them out after the first shot. Do you know how sexy it is that on top of everything else you are a terrific shot", Anakin asked lustfully.

"Well, I am still happy I didn't hit you Anakin. And despite what you say about my shot, we know that that set up was not even enough to even challenge you", she stated with a raised eyebrow.

"Perhaps. But I was incredibly distracted", Anakin replied bringing his face closer to his wives.

"Distracted how?", Padmé asked curiously.

"By you. This training outfit certainly flatters all the right places. I could not keep my eyes off you. I was at a significant disadvantage, it is a disadvantage that no one else can give me", Anakin replied.

"Ahh, I see. So, had I shot you it would have been my fault?", she asked seductively, knowing what game he was playing.

"Absolutely", Anakin replied, leaning in to kiss his wife.

He was stopped by Padmé placing a finger on his lips before they touched hers and whispered, "I will just have to try and distract you a little more next time then". She then turned around and exited the gym, leaving Anakin in awe of her intoxicating presence.

Padmé couldn't help but smile to herself as she walked towards the main bathroom. Luke and Leia were stood in their towels waiting for their mother as she instructed. Padmé started to run the bath, checking it for temperature, before the children got in and started to wash off.

"Daddy was so awesome wasn't he mum", Luke said excitedly.

"Yes, Luke. Your father is very gifted with the force, as are both of you", she said, as she helped Leia wash her long hair.

"I want to be like him when I grow up. Strong and brave", Luke replied.

"Don't be in a rush to grow up Luke. Make the most of being a child. That is something me and your father did not get to enjoy properly. I was the Queen when I was 14, and your father spent his younger life as a slave and then as a Jedi Padawan", Padmé told her children.

"Yes mum, we will. We are so lucky to have you and daddy and Obi-Wan. And now we can be a family all together like I always dreamed", Leia said with a beaming smile on her face.

Her children's words made her smile, mesmerised by their purity. As Padmé was distracted by her children's words, Luke and Leia saw their father in the doorway. He placed his finger on his lip to signal them to not say anything as he crept up behind Padmé. Before she could react, Anakin came up behind Padmé and lifted her off the floor and shouted, "Bath time for mummy". Despite Padmé's protests, he placed Padmé in the large bath with Luke and Leia who were bursting with laughter.

"You will pay for that Anakin Skywalker", Padmé said, looking at her husband who was also in fits of laughter. "Get him", Padmé said, as she started to splash the water out of the bath towards her husband.

"Hey, not fair, three against one", Anakin replied as streams of water were thrown on him by his family.

When nearly half the contents of the bath were on the floor, Padmé stepped out of the bath to face her husband. She could tell her was trying to hold in a large smile and was failing miserably. "Happy now", he asked as he too stood drenched in front of her. Padmé bit her lip and replied, "No", also trying to fight her urge to burst out laughing, as they both stood in front of one another dripping wet.

Wanting to make up for his mischievous actions Anakin said, "You go and dry off my love and I will take care of the twins".

"Yay, daddy", the twins replied to his statement.

"So be it", Padmé replied bluntly as she walked in her soaked clothes towards her bedroom. Once she was out of sight Padmé couldn't help but laugh. In the years she had believed Anakin to be dead she could never have imagined such a pure moment with her family where they were all laughing uncontrollably. It was such a beautiful moment and she knew it was just the start of the memories they could make as a family. But Padmé knew there was a lot that needed to happen before they could do so, the Emperor needed to be killed, and that was not a simple feat.

"That was so funny dad. The look on mums face when you threw her in the bath", Leia said to her dad as he dried them both off.

"Yes, it was very funny", Anakin replied with a smile.

"You need to get dry too daddy", Luke stated.

"Yes, I do. I will get you two dry first and then you can go and ask Geeta if she needs any help in the kitchen", he replied.

Anakin finished drying the twins off and helped them get dressed into their pyjamas. He helped Leia brush her long hair, which reminded him a lot of Padmé, before sending them down to the kitchen. He then stayed to clean up the mess in the bathroom, using lots of towels to clear up all the water on the floor. Once he had finished, he headed towards his bed chambers, unable to contain a smile. In the years he had believed Padmé was dead he could never have imagined such a pure moment with his family. He hoped that was the start of many more memories they would make together as a family. But he could not continue to live in this tainted reality, he knew he had to destroy the Emperor. His family could not live in peace until the Emperor was dead.

As Anakin entered his bed chambers, he saw his wife sat on the edge of their bed, towel drying her hair. "Am I allowed to come in?", Anakin asked, testing the water jokingly with his wife, following her half-hearted attempt to appear to be angry at him.

Padmé turned to her husband and replied, "That depends, are you going to throw me in the bath again?".

"No, I promise. I have no further intentions to surprise you … today", Anakin added for good measure.

Padmé smiled at her husband as she finished drying her hair and let it fall in its natural curls down her body. The evening light shone through the window softly, the light-catching perfectly on his wife's soft skin. He couldn't resist walking up to his wife and caressing her face with his hand. "I'm sorry for my tricks", he stated with a smile. "But it was beautiful to have that moment with the children, to see them laughing and you laughing. You always had a wonderful laugh", he replied softly.

Padmé smiled at him and said, "Yes, I agree it was lovely to see the children laugh.". She slowly reached out to help Anakin remove his wet t-shirt, revealing his well-done abdominals. She ran her hand down his chest softly. Knowing she had him right where she wanted him, she whispered in his ear and said, "And as I said, you will pay Anakin Skywalker". She then departed the room swiftly, leaving her husband burning with desire. He smiled at the courage of her action, as he quickly stepped in the shower and got changed ready for dinner.

As Padmé walked down to the kitchen, she felt proud. She had shown her husband she had the upper hand, and it was nice to feel like the powerful one in the relationship. Anakin had always been able to make her feel weak at the knees, but she also knew the power she could have over him, and now that they were back in each other's lives the feelings they had for one another and the chemistry they shared, was stronger than ever.

"Good evening Padmé", Obi-Wan said warmly as Padmé arrived in the kitchen. The twins were sat at the table helping Geeta finish preparations for dinner.

"Where's daddy?", Leia asked her mother.

"He needed to shower and get changed. We definitely won the water fight", Padmé told her children with a smile.

"Yeah, that was so fun mum", Luke said with a smile.

"Thanks for the help you two, I think we are nearly done. Shall I set the table?", Geeta asked, unsure when Master Anakin would be arriving.

"Yes, please thank you, Geeta. Anakin won't be long", she replied with a smile.

"I am very quick where food is concerned", Anakin stated as he walked into the kitchen in trousers and a black top.

"Yay, now we can eat", Luke exclaimed as they all walked over to sit at the dining table. Once all the food had been put out, Geeta left the family in privacy to eat.

"The twins have informed me about their excellent training session. You taught them some deflections with a droid", Obi-Wan said to Anakin.

"Yes, I did. They did excellently. Truly a testament to your excellent teaching Master. Yet another Skywalker you have successfully instructed", he stated with a smile.

"It is a great challenge, trust me", he replied.

"Daddy showed us what to do first. And he got mum to shoot at him with a real blaster. And he just hit them back like boom boom", Luke said, mimicking the actions of his father as he spoke.

"That is indeed very impressive Luke. He must be brave to do that, because from what I have been told your mother is a great shot", Obi-Wan commented.

"See it isn't just me who believes this", Anakin stated, looking at his wife.

"It was part of basic training as Queen. I really enjoyed it so continued to train during my time as Senator. It was always reassuring to know I could defend myself, even though I usually had so much security", Padmé stated.

"That's how you and daddy fell in love, isn't it mummy?", Leia asked her mother, remembering the story.

"Yes, Leia. Your father was assigned to protect me by the Jedi. We spent a lot of time together, and we were unable to deny the feelings we had for one another", she recalled. Anakin took her hand in his and smiled at the story. It filled him with happiness to hear how Padmé had told the children stories about them, despite believing he was dead.

The dinner continued as the family exchanged small talk, with the twins occupying most of the conversations as usual. The conversation turned to the topic of Padmé and Anakin's imminent departure.

"Might I ask when you are leaving tomorrow?", Obi-Wan asked.

"We will need to leave early in the morning if we are to arrive back on Coruscant by nightfall. We must return to the Senate and resume our duties. I do not think our disappearance will have been noticed for two days. It is very common for senators to be off-world for weeks and months at a time when the Senate is not in session. As for Vader, I can go days without seeing the Emperor. He only usually wants to see me when he needs something from me or when I have disappointed him and he wishes to punish me", Anakin stated bluntly.

Obi-Wan paused for a moment and replied, "Well we can head back to Naboo tomorrow as well".

"Feel free to stay here as long as you like. Geeta maintains the premises here and you are always welcome. You are family", Anakin stated with a smile.

"That is very kind of you Anakin. I think it is wise we return to Naboo, as the majority of our belongings are there. However, I think this place is very valuable as a meeting point for all of us, and also good to know we have a safe secret location should either of us need to retreat here for whatever reason", the Jedi Master replied.

"That is true", Anakin responded.

As the family finished eating their meal, Padmé and Obi-Wan started to clear up the plates. The twins had stolen Anakin and taken him into the living room to watch something on the Holonet with them. They knew they did not have long let with their father, so wanted to make the most of it.

As Padmé and Obi-Wan finished clearing the table, Obi-Wan says to Padmé, "I have something to give to you. I was unsure when the right time would be, but I cannot see any reason why that time is not now".

Padmé looked at her friend confused and asked, "What is it Obi-Wan?".

The Jedi Master reached into his pocket and took out a small box. Padmé raised an eyebrow still confused. Obi-Wan then handed her the box and said, "I have kept it safe for the last 8 years. I know when Anakin died you gave it to me because it hurt you too much to wear it. But I think now it is time I return it to you".

Padmé took the box and opened it to reveal the japor snippet that Anakin had made her all those years ago. She felt her eyes fill with tears at the sight of her old necklace. Once her and Anakin were married, she had never taken it off. It was a token gesture to their marriage and was the closest thing they could get to wedding bands at the time without anyone realising. She took the necklace out of the box and smiled.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan. Thank you for keeping this safe. It means so much to me", Padmé expressed.

"It is my pleasure Padmé", Obi-Wan replied. "Would you like some help putting it on?", he asked chivalrously.

"Please, thank you Obi-Wan", Padmé said. She turned around as Obi-Wan fastened the necklace at the back. She turned around and kissed Obi-Wan on the cheek as a sign of gratitude. He blushed at her gesture and smiled back.

The pair then walked into the living room and found Anakin, Luke and Leia sound asleep on the large sofa. Anakin had one twin cradled under each arm. Padmé stood in the archway admiring the sweet scene in front of her. Obi-Wan too saw them and whispered to Padmé, "If it is okay with you, I will retire for the night. I will see you in the morning before you depart".

"Of course. Goodnight Obi-Wan", Padmé replied in an equally hushed tone.


	23. Chapter 23 - Gifts

Padmé stood for a moment just admiring her husband and children in front of her. Only a few weeks ago she could never have dreamed of the image before her now. Anakin was alive and they were back together as a family. Together they were going to save the galaxy and bring peace back, and then they could be together forever. She slowly walked over to the sofa and kissed her husband lightly on the forehead to wake him up. Anakin's eyes opened softly, not being in too deep asleep, and saw the twins asleep in his arms. Padmé moved to pick up Leia, as he picked up his son gently as not to wake him. The couple carried their children up to their bedrooms and kissed them goodnight. He had promised Luke and Leia he would see them before they departed in the morning, so was happy he didn't have to wake them and ruin the tender moment.

Once the twins were asleep Anakin and Padmé followed the dark corridor to their chambers, before entering their room.

"You must be very tired Ani", Padmé commented, "It isn't that late and there you were fast asleep with the twins", she added with a smile.

"I just feel so at peace in their presence Padmé. I wasn't especially tired, but when I am with them the darkness cannot touch me and I feel that in those moments everything is perfect", Anakin told his wife.

She couldn't help but smile at his statement and replied, "The connection you share with Luke and Leia is so powerful and so pure. I know the darkness is eradicated in you when you are with them". She turned to join her husband at the balcony they shared, looking out at beautiful stars above.

"I cannot tell you how much you have changed my life Padmé. You make me feel the same way the twins do, and you aren't force sensitive. Your presence is so soothing to me. I know now that is why I fell so far into the darkness. I could not exist as Anakin Skywalker without you, and now you are here I cannot exist as Darth Vader", Anakin said as turned to his wife, the moon shining softly on her face.

At that moment Anakin saw the japor snippet resting on her chest. His eyes widened, unsure he was seeing correctly, before reaching out with his gloved hand to touch the necklace.

"Your necklace", he stated. "I remember when I gave this to you. You still have it?", he asked shocked.

Padmé brought her hand up to touch his, "Yes. While you were with Luke and Leia, Obi-Wan returned it to me."

Anakin looked at his wife a little confused. Padmé could see his visible confusion and so continued, "After what happened on Mustafar, when I believed you had died, I couldn't bring myself to wear it anymore. It served as a constant reminder of having lost you and the pain was unbearable. I gave it to Obi-Wan to look after for me because I knew I could never get rid of it properly because it was the only thing I had that reminded me of you", she reminisced painfully.

"Padmé, I am so sorry for all the pain I caused you. I know that is not good enough. But I will never truly forgive myself for what I did to you on that day, and I will continue to spend every day for the rest of our lives atoning for what I did", he replied passionately.

Padmé smiled at her husband softly, as a tear escaped her eye. "It wasn't your fault Anakin. You were deceived by a lie and were obsessed with the belief I was going to die as your mother did. I know how much pressure you were under keeping our marriage a secret against your vow as a Jedi. I cannot imagine the feelings you had at that time. I just wish I had seen it better and been able to help you before it was too late", she responded regretfully.

Anakin cupped Padmé's face and said, "Don't you ever apologise Padmé. You did everything I could have ever asked for. You married me; a humble child slave turned Jedi Knight. You stood by me during the clone wars when I was away for months at a time. You too had to keep our marriage a secret. You gave me two wonderful children. You spent most of your pregnancy alone, all whilst serving as a Senator for Naboo. You survived and raised our two beautiful babies after what I did to you on Mustafar", he said, choking on his final words.

He paused for a moment and added, "Padmé. You are the strongest and most beautiful woman to ever exist, more than the angels on the moons of Iago, and what is even more incredible if you are my wife and you love me. A man could never earn such a gift, and yet you have given it to me anyway".

Padmé could not help but shed another tear at his beautiful words. She then replied, "It is a gift you more than deserve Anakin, and you have returned the same gift to me. You have come back to us Ani. And when this is all over, we can be a family together, and never again will we have to live in secret or fear someone finding out about us".

"I cannot describe how happy that makes me Padmé", Anakin stated. He then leaned down and kissed his wife and said, "I can declare my undying love for you from the rooftops. Everyone from the core to the outer rim will know that I Anakin Skywalker am completely, unconditionally and irrevocably in love with you, Padmé Naberrie Amidala Skywalker".

Padmé laughed at his statement and replied, "It will be most unusual to not have to worry about meeting in the shadows or you sneaking away from the temple to my apartment on Coruscant. We won't know what to do with ourselves", she added.

"Oh, I think I know", Anakin replied cheekily as he moved to kiss his wife on the neck softly. Without saying another word Anakin effortlessly lifted his wife into his strong arms, as she wrapped her legs around his waist. They shared a passionate kiss as the gentle night air cooled their passions. Anakin carried his wife back into their room and sat on the edge of the bed, as they continued their kiss, getting lost in their feelings for one another. The kiss ended, as Anakin brushed Padmé's chocolate curls off her shoulder softly.

"I don't think I will ever get enough of you Padmé", he stated lovingly.

"Well, it's a good job because you're stuck with me Skywalker", she commented with a smile.

Padmé got up from her husband's lap and changed into her nightdress, keeping her japor snippet on. Anakin moved to lean against the headboard of the bed, as his wife started to brush her hair. He couldn't help but remember how that was her usual routine back when he used to stay with her at her apartment on Coruscant.

"So that is the secret to such wonderful hair, you have to brush it constantly", Anakin commented with a smile.

She turned to her husband and replied, "It requires a lot of maintenance yes. Although I am grateful for it being shorter than when I was Queen and Senator. Some of the hairstyles I had to wear meant I had to brush my hair for so long after".

"Yeah and you also needed a gravity repulser to get your hair in those styles no doubt", he stated boldly with a laugh.

She gasped at her husband's comment and said, "You dare to insult a Queen's hair. I'm not sure whether you are brave or stupid Anakin Skywalker".

He laughed at her reply as he removed his shirt ready for bed. Padmé couldn't resist looking in the mirror at her husband's chiselled torso. Anakin had always been muscular and strong, and especially during the clone wars he became even bigger and stronger and was significantly bigger than her tiny frame. But over the last 8 years, he appeared to have got even stronger and had truly grown into the man she knew he would always be. But not just physically. His mental transformation was truly incredible. She had known her husband since he was a boy, and it was truly remarkable to see how he had changed. _He really is the chosen one_, she thought to herself as she finished brushing her hair.

Padmé walked over to the large bed and was pulled in by her husband. She sat on top of his legs facing him as they both looked at one another not saying anything.

"We had such a lovely day today Anakin. That walk around the lake and through the woodland was beautiful", Padmé said to her husband as she rested her hands on his warm muscular chest.

Anakin took one of her hands and brought it up to his lips to kiss her softly before saying, "Yes I agree. I think it was nice for Luke and Leia to see some of the planet, and they got to ask us some questions about us too", he added.

"Your answer was so touching Anakin. I meant it when I said you have always made me feel so loved. The things you said today just reminded me of that", Padmé said softly.

"I meant every word Padmé. You are brave, selfless, strong, loyal, intelligent and beautiful", Anakin replied passionately.

Padmé blushed at his statement and replied, "I meant it too Anakin. I am so proud of all you have done and that you have renounced the dark side. I love you", she stated, leaning in to kiss her husband. Anakin caressed his wife's face as they did so, supporting her body with his other arm.

"I love you too Padmé. More than you will ever know. You are in my very soul", he replied.

"We truly have quite a love story", Padmé commented, re-iterating what the children had said earlier.

"Indeed. I am still in favour of the Slave and the Senator. But perhaps the Queen and the Jedi would sell more copies", he joked.

She hit her husband playfully on the chest at his statement and then said, "I think it was interesting that they asked if we planned on having any more children".

Anakin ran a hand through his hair and replied, "Perhaps. But maybe until recently, they didn't think they ever would have any siblings because you believed me dead. But now that we are together, they wonder if we might. After all Padmé, we are hardly old", he added.

"That's true. And it certainly is something I think we both would consider. It just is not the time right now", Padmé commented.

"There is nothing more that I want than to be the father of your children Padmé. And once the Emperor is dead and there is peace, we will have all the time in the galaxy to decide what we want to do", Anakin replied.

"Come on let's get some sleep. We need to be up early tomorrow, and we have a long journey back to Coruscant", Padmé told her husband. He nodded in agreement and then kissed her softly once more before she rolled next to him onto the bed and into his arms.

The next morning Padmé and Anakin woke up and headed down towards the hangar bay ready to depart for Coruscant. They loaded up the ship, waiting as long as possible before waking the twins to say goodbye. Neither of them wanted to leave the twins, and Anakin could not believe the beautiful and incredibly strong bond he had formed with his children in less than two days.

Anakin smiled at his wife and took her hand to cheer her up as they walked towards the living area to say goodbye to their children, Obi-Wan and Geeta.

Luke and Leia were both stood in their pyjamas with sad expressions painted on their faces. They had never liked their mother leaving them and had formed such a strong bond with their father that they were going to miss their parents equally.

Anakin got down on his knees to meet his children and hugged them tightly. He then said, "I am going to miss you both. I cannot tell you how happy I am to be your father. I know we have not spent a lot of time together, but I promise that will change soon and us and your mother will be a proper family together".

"We will miss you to daddy", Leia said trying not to cry as she hugged her father.

"You are the best dad we could have ever wished for", his son replied proudly.

Anakin smiled at his children's words and cupped their faces with his hands and stated, "You two are the kindest, smartest, strongest and most beautiful children I could have ever wished for. I love you both so much".

Padmé and Obi-Wan stood watching the emotional exchange. Padmé then hugged her good friend and said, "Thank you so much for bringing Luke and Leia here Obi-Wan. And for continuing to protect them whilst Anakin and I are on Coruscant. I do not know what I would have done without you for all of these years. Please know I am eternally in your debt", she added.

Obi-Wan hugged her back and said, "It has been my pleasure Padmé and it always will be. Please just stay safe on Coruscant, and hurry back because I know how much the twins will want to see you both again".

"We will, I promise. Everything is going to change very soon. It is only a matter of time", Padmé reflected, again glancing at her husband, who was now stood up, embracing his children. He put them both down and kissed them both on the forehead as Padmé walked over to join them. Anakin smiled at his wife as he walked over to his old master.

Obi-Wan reached out and placed a hand on his old apprentice's shoulder and said, "Stay safe Anakin. I know how hard it must be for you to continue this façade as Vader. But you must not let your anger and hatred for the Emperor consume you. We cannot lose you again friend".

Anakin nodded and replied, "I know Master. I promise you I won't. I cannot do that to my family again", he added turning to see his wife and children embracing warmly. He could see the tears filling Padmé's eyes, knowing how hard it must be for her to leave them.

"The bond you all have is truly remarkable", Obi-Wan commented, seeing Anakin's attention drawn to his family.

"Yes, it is. Despite having only been with the twins for two days, I cannot believe how strong my connection is to them through the force", Anakin replied.

"And your connection to Padmé has always been strong, especially as she isn't force-sensitive", Obi-Wan added.

"My connection to Padmé is like nothing I have ever had with another person. I cannot explain it. But it consumes me", Anakin replied passionately.

Obi-Wan smiled and replied, "I now understand how hard it must have been for you to keep your marriage a secret. To form such a strong attachment to someone and go against the Jedi code like that".

"I would have gone against the galaxy to marry Padmé", Anakin stated matter-of-factly, as he continued to watch his wife and children.

Obi-Wan had no response to his statement. Truly he had never felt such an attachment to someone in that way, and he knew that most people, force sensitive or not, would never share the bond that Anakin and Padmé had. As Padmé hugged the twins one last time, Obi-Wan said, "Have a safe trip and try and stay in contact when you can. I will make contact with you to inform you when we arrive back on Naboo. I plan on leaving later on today when Luke and Leia have packed and eaten", he added with a smile.

"We will try and contact you as much as possible", Padmé said, looking at her children with a smile.

"We will miss you mummy and daddy", Leia stated again.

"We love you both too, so much", Padmé replied smiling at her daughter brightly.

"Be good for Obi-Wan okay. Listen to what he says, do your work and your training and we will see you very soon", Anakin told his children.

"Yes daddy", the twins replied in unison.

"May the force be with you", Obi-Wan said as the pair turned to walk out the room and head towards the hangar bay.

"May the force be with you too master, and you two", Anakin said looking at his old master and then his children.

The pair then turned to depart, leaving their children and good friend behind. Anakin took his wife's hand supportively and kissed it softly. "We will see them soon Angel", he told her.

"I hope so Anakin. I hate having to leave them like this. We shouldn't have to be apart", Padmé replied sadly.

"We won't be for long Padmé I promise you", Anakin stated, knowing how hard this must be for her. Padmé forced a smile back not wanting to look too upset.

The couple headed for their ship and boarded. Anakin set the co-ordinates for Coruscant and sat back in the cockpit chair next to his wife. "Let's just get back Anakin", Padmé said to her husband, sounding deflated already having only just left the twins.

The couple sat in silence for a relatively long time, before the ship jumped into hyperspace. "We will be back on Coruscant late tonight. But it should mean we will arrive back unnoticed. Then we can get some sleep before returning to the Senate tomorrow", Anakin told his wife, trying to break the silence between them.

"That's good", Padmé replied, as she twisted several strands of hair around her finger.

Back on Alderaan, Obi-Wan was helping the twins back their things ready to depart. He could tell they were very sad about their parents' departure. But they also understood that for now, it was the way it had to be, in order to keep them safe.

"Come on you two. Geeta has said she will make you a nice big breakfast before we leave", Obi-Wan told the twins, trying to cheer them up. The pair turned to the master Jedi and nodded and smiled at his statement before heading to the kitchen.

When they walked into the kitchen Geeta was stood there with three large plates of food for her guests. She smiled as they sat down at the table and she said, "I'm going to miss you lot. It has been lovely having people in the house. I hope you come back soon", she added.

"Thanks, Geeta. Your cooking is awesome. Will we miss you too", Leia replied.

"Yeah. And hopefully, we can come back soon to see mummy and daddy again", Luke added.

"Indeed. I know how much your mother and father will miss you", Geeta told the children, knowing how hard it must be for them to have to separate.

The group ate their breakfast before Obi-Wan started to gather their bags to depart. Geeta helped them carry their bags to their ship and to bid them goodbye.

"It was lovely to meet you all", Geeta said as she passed the last of the bags to Obi-Wan.

"Likewise and thank you very much for your hospitality, Geeta. I can imagine this has been a very strange situation for you", Obi-Wan commented.

"It is my pleasure. I am aware Master Skywalker informed you, you can return whenever you wish. I will be here to serve you all when you do return", Geeta replied with a smile.

"Thank you", Obi-Wan stated again.

"Have a safe journey back", Geeta commented.

The twins thanked Geeta again before boarding the ship with Obi-Wan close behind. They wondered how long it would be before they saw their parents again. Despite having spent less than two days with their father, the connection they had was incredibly powerful, and it made them more desperate than ever for them to be a family. But they knew that the Emperor was a bad man and they had to be protected, so had to remain hidden with Obi-Wan.

"I hope we see mummy and daddy soon", Leia commented sadly as the ship took off from the Alderaan estate.

"Don't worry young ones", Obi-Wan replied. "I know how much your parents want to see you again. And they will do all they can to make sure they see you as soon as possible", he added.

"I just hope they are safe from the Emperor", Luke stated.

"Don't you worry Luke. Your father is the strongest and most powerful Jedi to ever exist. And I know he will do anything to protect you two and your mother. He will bring balance to the force", he stated proudly.

Several hours had passed on the ship, and Anakin had busied himself by reviewing several reports that required his urgent attention. Some new amendments had been made to the design of the death star, and Vader had been consulted to testify for the new designs' structural integrity. He also knew when he returned, he would need to meet with the Emperor. Before he had departed with his wife, the Emperor had informed him that his condition of still being personal security for Senator Soruna was that he managed to extract some information from her regarding the Rebel Alliance. Truthfully, Anakin's mind had been as far from his duties as Vader as possible over the last few days, but he knew it was not important for him to focus back on the tasks at hand. He could not do anything to raise the suspicions of the Emperor. If Anakin was going to stand a chance at destroying his Sith Master, he was going to need to be as strong as possible and have the advantage of it being a complete surprise.

After a while, Anakin returned to the cockpit and was surprised to see his wife was not there. He checked the navigation system for their location in hyperspace before sitting back down in his seat. A few moments later Padmé returned to the cockpit, having clearly been in the small living area next door. "I just needed to freshen up. I always feel very dirty when I travel for a long time", Padmé stated, sitting back down next to her husband.

"Yes, I know what you mean", Anakin replied, slightly distracted by his earlier thoughts about his upcoming meeting with the Emperor.

Padmé could immediately see his pre-occupation and asked, "What is troubling you?".

"I anticipate I will have a meeting with the Emperor upon my return to Coruscant. I doubt he will have noticed I've been gone for two days, but he will want to know what progress I have made on my mission to find out information from Senator Soruna", Anakin replied, hoping his wife would catch on to what he saying.

"That is why you were assigned to protect me by the Emperor. He wanted you to find out what I knew about the Alliance", Padmé deduced.

"Yes, and before I left, he told me that I had had more than sufficient time to break down the walls of your mind to find out some information. I am now faced with the challenge of needing to provide him with sufficient information to make him believe you are still valuable enough to require my protection, but not enough that will incriminate you as a member of the Rebellion", Anakin stated sounding troubled.

"I see", Padmé stated, also thinking about the dilemma.

The pair remained in silence for a moment before Padmé said, "There used to be a Rebel base on Dantooine. Perhaps you could tell him that you believe that is a place of significance to me. You could then go there and pretend to exterminate the rebels there, but as the base is abandoned you are doing no harm to the rebellion".

"That could work", her husband commented. "That would also not be significant enough that the Emperor suspects you are a key member. He assumes you are simply a tool being used by Bail and Mothma as a Senator from a core planet. Your friends need to cautious of what they do, they are being watched very closely Padmé", Anakin added.

"I understand how difficult this is for you Anakin. But right now, you need to do all you can to appease the Emperor and make him believe you are still his loyal second in command. There is very little we are doing as the rebellion right now. We have been waiting for the right opportunity to strike, and it appears that through us finding each other we have found it. You are the opportunity we have been waiting for", Padmé commented hopefully.

"I hope so Padmé", Anakin said, running a hand through his hair. "All I know is that I need to do all I can to keep you and the twins safe. I must be prepared to fight the Emperor, but right now I am not sure I am strong enough. I need more time so I need to try and buy as much as I can by continuing my pretence as Vader to avoid his suspicions. He is already very paranoid. We must manage this situation with the greatest care and sensitivity", Anakin reported.

"I know Anakin", Padmé replied.

Anakin then took his wife's hands in his and said, "Promise me you will not do anything dangerous Padmé. I know you served as a key member of the Alliance, but right now you cannot be doing anything that could incriminate you. I may be around in the Senate most of the time, but I cannot be there all the time to protect you. I have to know you are safe Padmé, and not taking any unnecessary risks", Anakin pleaded.

"I won't Anakin. As I said, the Rebel Alliance have been buying their time at the minute. Since Bail and Mon have found out about you renouncing the dark side you have given us a new sense of hope. And when the time comes, we will all be here to support you. But I need you to promise me the same thing Anakin. Do not put yourself in unnecessary danger please, I already worry about you so much, being around that evil man", Padmé said concerned, shivering at the thought of the Emperor.

"I will do what I must to make sure you are safe Padmé", Anakin replied ambiguously. He knew how dangerous it was going to be to confront the Emperor. Of course, he did not want to die, he wanted more than ever to be there with his wife and children. But if sacrificing himself was the price he needed to pay to ensure his family was safe, he would do it without hesitation. They were his reason for existing, and they were all that mattered to him.

Breaking the silence that had fallen between them, Anakin stated, "I must put my mask and suit on before we land to keep up appearances. We will be coming through my private hangar again, but I cannot be sure who is watching my ship arrive".

Padmé stifled a yawn and replied, "Yes, that makes sense. We must do everything we can".

Anakin nodded and then departed the cockpit to don the mask and suit of Darth Vader. He found that he was loathing himself more and more every time he was forced to wear it. He loathed the man he was when he wore it and it served as a reminder of the last 8 years of hell he had lived as Vader. But now everything was different. He was not defined by the suit and mask he had once worn, and he was becoming Anakin Skywalker again. He was Padmé's husband and Luke and Leia's father, and that gave him a powerful sense of purpose beyond what he had ever felt as Vader.

A little while later Anakin returned from the small room fully dressed as Vader. Padmé did not turn around when he emerged, and when he came to sit down in the pilot's chair, he saw that his wife was sat in the chair fast asleep. He simply sat and watched her briefly, admiring the way strands of her tied up hair had fallen framing the sides of her face. She looked so peaceful Anakin didn't have the heart to wake her. He knew that leaving the twins had not been easy for his wife, and he hoped they would not be a part for long. But for right now they both had duties to return to, and it was for the good of the galaxy and the safety of their family. As the ship came out of hyperspace and entered Coruscant's atmosphere Anakin guided the ship through the city and towards his establishments. Despite it being late at night the streets were still busy with traffic efficiently flowing through the night sky.

When Anakin landed the ship, he made the point of checking if any troopers were patrolling the hangar. Once he had established, he wouldn't be seen, Anakin lifted his wife into his strong arms and disembarked the ship. It was a short walk from the underground hangar into his establishments, and he knew that inside he would not be seen by anyone. As the lift doors opened, Anakin carried his wife up to the bed, who remained sleeping in his arms. He knew she was upset about leaving the twins and had been stressed about his return as Vader and his inevitable encounter with the Emperor, so he did not want to deny his wife of some peaceful slumber. When he entered their bed chambers, he placed Padmé on the bed softly, as he removed his mask and suit. He hated the thought of having to don the dreaded mask for his return to the Senate tomorrow. As the days had gone on, he felt more and more frustrated at the prospect of being Vader around his wife. He knew the two could not co-exist. Padmé had married Anakin Skywalker, and since he had found out she was alive, he had been calling her his wife. She was his wife, undoubtedly. Even as Vader, he had never stopped loving Padmé and had lived with the regret of believing he was responsible for her death. So surely if he never stopped loving Padmé that meant that he never completely rejected Anakin Skywalker, he pondered. He shook his head as the myriad of thoughts raced through his mind. Deciding to distract himself briefly he left his wife asleep and returned to the hangar to retrieve their baggage from the ship.

When Anakin returned, he was pleased to see Padmé was still asleep in their bed. He knew she would probably contest to sleeping in her clothes, but she had chosen comfortable attire for the journey so he was happy she would be comfortable. He stifled a yawn as he removed his shirt and glove and got into bed next to his wife. He used the force to cover her wife a blanket as he wrapped his arms around her softly. Subconsciously Padmé was drawn in by her husband's heat, and moved closer to him, her head resting in the crook of his arm.

The next morning, Anakin was woken abruptly by the sound of his alarm. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and reached to turn the incessant device off. Padmé too was awoken by the alarm and turned to see her husband getting out of bed. She was clearly confused as she looked down at herself, seeing she was still in the same clothes.

"How did I get to bed. Why am I still in my clothes?", Padmé asked confused.

"You fell asleep in the cockpit last night, so I carried you from the ship into bed. But I didn't have the heart to wake you up by changing your clothes, so I left you because you seemed comfortable. And you are so beautiful when you are asleep", he told his wife as he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead softly.

"Thank you", she replied with a smile.

"I must hurry and get dressed to go to the Senate. We need to continue our usual routine, so I shall see you at the hangar bay at the Senate", he stated, as he picked up his mask and suit.

"Yes agreed. See you soon", Padmé responded, running a hand through her chocolate brown hair as she got out of bed.


	24. Chapter 24 - Dantooine

Padmé knew it was going to be increasingly difficult for her and Anakin to maintain appearances in the Senate. Anakin was starting to resent himself as Vader more and more and was still having to serve his evil master. She knew they had to be careful. The Emperor was more paranoid than ever, and they needed to buy their time if their mission was to be successful and they were to restore peace to the galaxy. This sense of hope did not stop her from worrying about her husband, as well as missing the twins deeply. Trying to distract herself, Padmé entered the fresher and got ready for the day.

Padmé's driver was smart enough to not ask about her journey off-world as they travelled to the Senate. They sat in silence as Padmé looked out the window at the bustling streets around. When Padmé's speeder landed in the Senate hangar bay, she was not at all surprised to see her husband waiting for her. Maintaining the façade the pair nodded at one another in acknowledgement as Padmé thanked her driver and they turned to walk towards her office.

When they arrived at Padmé's office, she was greeted by the commander at her door. "Good morning My Lady", he said nodding at her respectfully.

"Good morning Commander. I hope you are well", she stated, hoping he would not enquire about her presence over the last few days.

"I am well thank you My Lady", the commander replied, opening the door for Padmé.

Anakin followed her inside and stated, "I have a meeting with the Emperor now, and I have other duties to attend to today, but I shall return for you later Senator".

"Thank you. Good day Lord Vader", Padmé replied, trying to convey her feelings to her husband, wishing him luck for his meeting with his master.

Anakin said nothing more before turning and leaving her office. He knew his master would want an update from him this morning, having not seen him for several days. When Vader had arrived at the Senate, he was informed by the Emperor's aid that he would be in the Senate this morning for a meeting. Deciding it was best to get it out of the way he headed towards his master's private senate chambers. When he arrived, he was flagged in by the red guards, and he walked down the few stairs towards his where his master sat.

"Hello, my friend. I trust your last few days have been productive", the Emperor stated, remaining seated at his desk as his servant bowed in front of him.

"Yes, master. I have had the chance to acquire some information from the weak mind of Senator Soruna. I am unsure what the information refers to exactly but the planet of Dantooine appears to be a place of significant interest in her mind", Vader stated.

"Dantooine. That is very interesting. Perhaps there are some rebels located on the planet. Do you think she could be a leading member of the Rebellion?", the Emperor asked curiously.

Anakin knew he had to be careful in his answer to the question. He needed to convince the Emperor that he had been successful in acquiring information from the Senator, but he did not want serious suspicions to fall on Padmé that could compromise her safety. Anakin then replied, "I have reason to believe she is merely a dog's body for the alliance master. She may have contact with influential people we have been monitoring, but they do not trust her with significant articles of information".

"It is possible that your inferences are incorrect my servant. I want you to go to Dantooine and see what reason the Senator may have for possessing such information in her mind", the Emperor replied.

"Yes, Master", Anakin stated.

"These are trying times Vader. We must crush the Alliance and not let them succeed. I believe this Senator from Naboo may be one to watch out for. She may be a trouble-maker like her predecessor", Sidious commented spitefully.

Anakin did all he could to contain his anger at the mention of Padmé. He knew Sidious was doing it to test him, and it was essential he passed the test.

"Yes, Master. I shall depart for Dantooine tonight and investigate rebel activity on the planet", Vader replied.

"I expect a full report upon your return, Vader. Be sure your journey there is not wasted. Your attention is still required on the construction of the Death Star, and the Senator still requires protection whilst she is still of some value", the Emperor ordered.

"Of course, my Master", Anakin said, bowing before turning to depart the grand office.

Anakin knew that Padmé would not be happy about his departure to Dantooine, and truthfully, he did not want to leave her here either. But he knew he had to go. He would inform the Commander of his mission and the need for tighter security around Senator Soruna. Truthfully he knew his mission was a waste of time, as the Alliance had abandoned their base on the planet, but if he could convince his master he had infiltrated a minor base there, it would prove his mission was valuable and hopefully buy him some more time. As a plan began to formulate in his mind, he walked swiftly towards Padmé's office. When he arrived at her office, he knew his wife was not there and assumed she had been summoned to a meeting. The Commander on the door immediately straightened up at the sight of his commander approaching.

"Lord Vader, Sir", the commander stated.

"Commander, I am going on a mission off-world on a mission, so I am leaving you in charge of the Senator's security. I do not need to remind you of the importance of this mission, as she is of high value to the Emperor", he added for good measure. In truth, Anakin did not think that Padmé was under threat here as Senator Soruna, but he knew that it was important for Padmé to be well protected here, especially when he wasn't here to oversee her protection himself.

"Yes, Sir of course. I will personally ensure her safety", the Commander responded.

"Good", Vader replied. Not saying anymore before departing for a meeting with the governors.

Having spent all day in meetings, all Padmé wanted to do was go home and relax with her husband and call her children. She had not seen Anakin since this morning, and despite them being estranger for 8 years until recently, Padmé had become accustomed to spending more time with her husband. She looked at her wrist chrono, hoping he would appear soon to escort her to the hangar bay.

Having spent all day in meetings, all Anakin wanted to do was go home and be with his wife and contact Luke and Leia. He had hoped so see Padmé earlier, because despite being apart for the last 8 years, they had become very used to one another's presence, and he missed her greatly. His frustration was magnified knowing he would need to inform his wife he was leaving Coruscant for a few days. He did not think she would be terribly surprised following their conversation, but nevertheless he dreaded leaving her here alone. He sighed deeply through his mask as he walked towards Padmé's office. The door was open, and he walked in, standing tall in the doorway as Padmé sat at her desk reading.

"Is now a convenient time for you to leave Senator?", he asked formally.

Padmé looked up to see her husband and replied, "Yes, I have finished for today". She rose from her seat and collected her bag and cloak ready to depart.

As usual, Padmé followed behind Vader as he escorted her to the hangar bay. Her pilot met her with a smile, as Padmé turned to her husband and said, "Thank you, Lord Vader". He nodded in response but remained to watch her speeder exit the bay.

Anakin knew his wife would be upset about him leaving. She was already missing the twins, and undoubtedly, she would not be enthusiastic about spending several days alone. But one of the things he loved about his wife the most was how selfless she was. As a politician, she understood duty and the need to put others first. He needed to go on this mission to keep up appearances. Soon he would be strong enough to face the Emperor, but until then he needed to buy his time.

Padmé arrived back at the establishments and immediately made her way to her bed chambers to freshen up. Her disguise was becoming increasingly tedious for her to maintain. As she walked into the fresher, she untied her hair from its elaborate updo and splashed her face with water as she washed off the extensive make-up. She then carefully removed the bright green contacts and placed them into a small packet for tomorrow.

"It is amazing what a difference coloured lenses and some makeup can do to a person", Anakin stated as he leaned on the door of the fresher.

Padmé turned to see her husband and commented, "Yes indeed. I know it is necessary, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with having to maintain this façade. It is not very me", she added.

Anakin smiled at his wife and replied, "Well that is because most people are not born with such beauty Padmé. They require make-up and lenses. Angels are rare creatures".

Padmé looked at her husband in the reflection of the mirror and he could see she had raised an eyebrow at his comment. She then walked over to see him and turned away from him and asked, "Could you unzip me please?".

"Of course, My Lady", Anakin replied, as he slowly undid the zip on his wife's dress that went down to the bottom of his wife's back. He then planted a kiss on her soft skin gently before she turned to face him.

"Thank you", she stated. Without a word she then removed her dress and stepped into the shower. Anakin and Padmé had always shared such powerful chemistry and they didn't need words to communicate their feelings. Anakin couldn't help but smile at his wife's action and decided he wouldn't ruin the moment just yet. He too removed his clothing and followed behind her.

Padmé had just started to wash her hair when she felt her husband's strong arms wrap around her waist. He kissed the back of her neck as the water cascaded down on them both. Knowing he was going to ruin the beautiful moment Anakin said, "I must leave for Dantooine tonight".

Padmé pulled her hair to the side and turned to face her husband. "So, I'm guessing that means you told the Emperor. Was he pleased?", she asked.

"He is never pleased. But he asked me to go and investigate the rebels there", Anakin replied, gently pushing a wet strand of hair off his wife's face.

"How long will you be gone?", Padmé asked sadly.

"I am unsure. I must be gone long enough to make him believe I am dealing with the rebellion. But as you told me the base has been abandoned there will not be much for me to do there", he replied, not wanting to be away from his wife for too long.

"That makes sense. We must do all we can to maintain his belief that you are still his right-hand man", Padmé commented.

"I know. But that does not make it any easier to leave you my love", Anakin replied. "Over the last few weeks, you have come back into my life and changed me irrevocably. I do not know what I did without you for 8 years Padmé. And now we have been reunited and I have spent time with you and our children, I cannot stand the thought of being apart from you", he told her, leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips.

Padmé returned the kiss and when it ended, she said, "I know I feel the same way Anakin. But you have come so far already, and you are becoming the man I always knew you were. And if this is the sacrifice, we have to make right now to spend the rest of our lives together then we must remain strong".

Anakin smiled at his wife and stated, "You are incredible do you know that? You are strong, brave, intelligent, selfless and the love and support you have shown me these last few weeks is far beyond what I deserve. I love you so much".

"I love you too", Padmé replied. "Will you stay in contact while you are gone?", she asked.

"I will do the best that I can. I am unsure what I will find on Dantooine and what communication networks will be available. But I have made arrangements with the Commander for your protection at the Senate while I am not here, and you are entirely safe in my establishments here I assure you", Anakin told his wife.

Padmé paused for a moment and then said, "Would it not be prudent of me to return to the apartment that the Emperor granted me at 500 Republica. I am concerned that because I have not been there it will raise some suspicions".

"I wouldn't worry about that my love. The Emperor does not care enough to have surveillance placed on your apartment. He would see it as a waste of valuable resources. And even if you were not there you could simply be staying in the accommodation you had previously arranged prior to the incident", Anakin replied.

"I suppose so", Padmé agreed.

Anakin took Padmé's face in his hands and said, "I just want to do all I can while I am not here to ensure your safety Padmé. I cannot let anything happen to you".

"I know Anakin. And you must promise me you will do the same. You must be careful on Dantooine. As far as I am aware the rebel base has been abandoned there. But the rebels would not hesitate to try and terminate Darth Vader, and word about your intentions has not yet been communicated through the rebellion", Padmé commented.

"I know. But that is for the best. We do not want it being spread that Vader is working with the rebellion. We are in trying times where we cannot be absolutely sure who to trust, so we must keep it quiet for now", Anakin told his wife.

"You're right. But still, please Anakin, be careful", Padmé pleaded.

Anakin ran a hand through his wet hair and replied, "I will Angel, I promise you. Now I must leave. I will contact you when I can". He then kissed her softly and stepped out of the shower.

"Be safe and come back soon Anakin", she told her husband as he left her alone in the shower.

A while later, Anakin sat in the cockpit of his private shuttle with co-ordinates set for Dantooine. As much as he hated leaving Padmé behind, he knew it was necessary in order to appease the Emperor and convince him of his continued intentions to serve him. He was uncertain what awaited him on the planet. Padmé had informed him that the rebel base there was abandoned, but that did not mean that there was no one there. As Vader he would be a huge target. However, he knew he could not risk going down to the planet unmasked as Anakin. With a travel time of nearly 19 hours, Anakin wanted to complete his mission on the planet swiftly, so he could return home. He double-checked the co-ordinates set, before deciding to try and get some sleep. He stifled a yawn as he walked towards the shuttles bedroom.

Padmé exited the fresher with a towel wrapped around her head and her body. She retrieved a nightgown from one of the draws and put it on. She then took the towel off her head and sat down at her vanity table to brush her hair. She sighed deeply as she brushed her hair softly, already missing her husband. She found it overwhelming how quickly her and Anakin had become so attached to one another again. Since they had been reunited, neither had been able to function properly away from the other, despite spending more than 8 years apart, believing the other was dead. Deciding that her thoughts were not going to change the fact that Anakin had left, Padmé put on her japor snippet and ring that Anakin had given her and decided she would try and call the twins for some comfort. She reached over for the commlink that Anakin had given her and dialled the frequency for Obi-Wan and the twins and was delighted when Obi-Wan answered.

"Hello Obi-Wan", Padmé said.

"Padmé, it is good to hear from you. I trust your return to the Senate went smoothly", Obi-Wan replied.

"It did indeed. No one even noticed I was gone. Anakin met with the Emperor today and has been sent on a mission to Dantooine", she stated.

"Dantooine. On what premise?", the Jedi Master asked.

"Vader was assigned to my protection several weeks ago, but it was actually a cover by the Emperor to get Vader to acquire information from my mind about the Alliance. As Anakin is still having to maintain his cover it was necessary for him to convince the Emperor that he was completing this task. I told him that there used to be a rebel base on Dantooine. We hoped that this would appease Palpatine for now by convincing him Vader is doing his job, but also not incriminate Senator Soruna as a member of the Alliance", Padmé tried her best to explain.

"I see", Obi-Wan replied. "Indeed, I remember there being a base on Dantooine. It is in the outer rim so wouldn't attract too much attention from Palpatine.", he added.

"I just hope that the base is truly abandoned there. Because Anakin would be gravely outnumbered and as Vader, he would undoubtedly be a target as soon as he landed. I just worry about something happening to him Obi-Wan", Padmé confided.

"Don't worry Padmé. Anakin is the strongest and most powerful Jedi and warrior that I have ever known. And the base there most certainly isn't active. He shouldn't encounter any issues", Obi-Wan replied, trying to reassure his friend.

Padmé sniffed, trying to mask the concern in her voice and asked, "Could I say goodnight to the twins please?"

"Of course, let me go and get them", Obi-Wan replied, briefly leaving the comm to get the twins. Padmé could here the faint sound of Obi-Wan calling Luke and Leia to come to him. Seconds later she heard the muffled sound of their excited voices as they raced to the comm.

"Hi Mummy", the twins said in unison.

"Hello babies. How was your trip back to Naboo? Are you being good for Obi-Wan and TC?", she asked.

"It was good. Geeta made us a nice big breakfast, so we just had dinner when we got back and then went to bed. We have done some work with TC today and we are doing some training with Obi-Wan tomorrow", Luke reported.

"That sounds like a lot of fun. Me and daddy miss you both so much already and we will see you soon I promise", she added.

"Where is daddy?", Leia asked, noticing that her father was not speaking.

"He has had to go on a mission. But he will be back soon and I know how much he will want to speak to you and ask you all about school and your training with Obi-Wan", she told her children, trying to hide the upset in her voice.

"You miss him don't you mummy?", Leia asked. "I can feel it", she added.

Padmé couldn't help but smile at her daughter's statement. They were both so strong with the force, like their father, and they had always been very perceptive of her emotions.

"Yes, I do Leia. But it won't be like this forever. When the bad man has gone and there is peace, we can all live as a family together and we will never have to be apart again", Padmé replied.

"Yay", the twins replied. Padmé smiled at their response, knowing that they were too young to truly understand what was going on, but needed them to know this wasn't going to last forever and they would be able to spend the rest of their lives together.

"Now you two. Off to bed and get some sleep. Please be good for Uncle Obi-Wan and me and daddy will see you very soon", Padmé told her children.

"Okay, mummy. Love you", Leia responded.

"I love you too. I love you both so much and I know daddy would send you both a big hug and kiss", Padmé added.

"Night mum", Luke said after.

"Goodnight my babies", Padmé said as she heard them exit the room to get ready for bed.

"Thank you Obi-Wan. I needed that. It is hard with Anakin being away", Padmé told him.

"I know it must be hard Padmé, being away from the twins and now being away from Anakin too. But you are the strongest woman I have ever had the privilege of knowing and you just have to believe this won't be like this for much longer", he replied, trying to comfort her.

"Thank you Obi-Wan. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for your friendship and all you have done for me, Luke, Leia and Anakin", she told her friend with a smile.

"It is my pleasure Padmé", he replied. "May the force be with you", he added.

"May the force be with you too Master Jedi", Padmé responded, before ending the communication and putting it down on the table. Deciding she should try and get some sleep, Padmé stood up and walked over the large bed and tucked herself under the soft silk covers. She had become accustomed to sharing a bed with Anakin and missed having him next to her to keep her warm. She wrapped her arms around his pillow, taking in his scent, and closed her eyes.

The next morning Padmé awoke to her alarm and repeated her usual routine before heading to the Senate. Since returning from Naboo she had a considerable amount of paperwork to get through, as well as several requests for meetings from various dignitaries. Truthfully, she had forgotten how demanding her job was as Senator, and she had served during a time when Senator's possessed a considerable amount of power. As she sat in the speeder on her way to the Senate, she reflected on how much had changed over the last 8 years. As she arrived at the Senate hangar, she couldn't help but be disappointed that it wasn't her husband meeting her there, as he had done so many times before. She instead smiled at the trooper who was waiting there to greet her.

"Good morning My Lady", the trooper said, bowing softly to her as she walked towards him.

"Good morning Commander. I trust you are well", she replied.

"I am thank you, My Lady. How are you?", he asked politely as the pair walked towards her office.

"I am well", she replied, "I have lots of paperwork to attend do so it is likely I will be in my office all-day today", she added, knowing the trooper would appreciate knowing her schedule in advance.

"Okay, My Lady. It is no trouble. Simply tell me if you need to leave", he told her. When they got to her door, the trooper opened it for her and then waited for her to sit down at her desk before she smiled at him in thanks and he closed the door behind her, taking his post.

Padmé sat down at her desk and exhaled deeply. She wondered whether Anakin had arrived on Dantooine yet and whether he had encountered any problems. She knew she was driving herself mad with worry because at least it meant she was thinking about him. It was dangerous for him to go there as Vader, and Padmé only hoped that he would find the base completely abandoned, so he could return to her soon. Realising her thoughts were getting her nowhere, she removed her large coat and started on the large stack of paperwork that had piled up on her desk.

Anakin sat down in the pilot's chair and exhaled deeply. He wondered what Padmé was doing in the Senate today and if she was heading his advice to be careful who she trusted. He knew that he was not helping himself worry about her, but he could not stop thinking about her, she was in his very soul. He was unsure what he would encounter on Dantooine, and it was dangerous showing his face their as Vader, a sworn enemy of the Alliance. He hoped he would find the base abandoned, so he could return to Padmé soon. He ran a hand through his hair, realising his thoughts were getting him nowhere, and then stood up to go and put on his mask and suit, for he would soon be arriving on Dantooine.

A little while later, Anakin emerged from the small cabin as Vader and returned to the cockpit to direct the ship to a landing platform near the final coordinates. His shuttle landed smoothly, and he stood up, attaching his lightsaber to his belt, and opened the ramp to walk down to the planet. When he exited the ship, he was surprised by what he saw. The coordinates that Padmé had given him had taken him to a large area of Badlands on the planet. From what he could see that was a vast enclosure likely for storing starfighters and their weapons systems, as well as a lot of bunkers that could house hundreds of troopers. Anakin couldn't help but be impressed by the level of organisation and sophistication of the abandoned base. _If this is what an abandoned base looks like, I wonder what their current bases look like. They are stronger than the Emperor realises_, Anakin thought to himself as he turned his head to look around, walking closer towards the large enclosure. As he got closer to the large building, his senses heightened, trying to seek out potential life forms around him. The base certainly looked abandoned, but Anakin could not tell if any rebels remained. He couldn't imagine why any would stay. Surely any rebels would want to be at the new bases plotting against the Empire and fighting the cause, not stuck in an abandoned base risking discovery.

As Anakin continued to walk around the base lost in thought, he was suddenly torn from his ruminations when he heard someone shout, "Stop, or I will shoot".

Anakin turned to face the man, who was trying his best not to let his hands shake as they held the blaster in front of him, aiming for Vader. Wanting to diffuse the situation, he said, "I do not wish to fight".

The rebel kept his blaster aimed at Vader and replied, "I know who you are Darth Vader. You have poisoned the galaxy, working alongside the Emperor. You will not hesitate to squash the rebellion. I am just grateful that your information has mistakenly brought you here to this abandoned base", he stated bravely

Anakin remained still, trying to read the man's mind. He could see his intentions were pure, and also that he was petrified of Vader. He was not surprised by this fact, as Vader has been a dark menace in the galaxy for more than 8 years, and there were very few who feared him. But that wasn't what he wanted anymore. He knew as Vader he would have cut this man down where he stood, but he knew as Anakin Skywalker he would not, and this was his greatest challenge. Right now, Vader and Skywalker were fighting in his own mind, and he was becoming overwhelmed. He wanted to try and make this man understand and so he said, "I have rejected the Empire. I have turned from the dark side. I am only here to not raise the Emperor's suspicions. My wife, she is a member of the rebel alliance", he added, not wanting to compromise Padmé's identity, but hoping it would help.

"Do you really think I would believe that Vader. You have turned from the dark side, but still, have his red laser sword, and you claim to have a wife. Who could ever love such a monster?", the man spat.

Anakin couldn't help but be hurt by the man's words. Mostly because they forced him to think on his own self-conscious beliefs. That he didn't deserve Padmé's love, after all, he had done, yet she did anyway. He did not know what he had done to deserve someone like her in his life, and now more than ever he wished she was here with him, so he knew what to do. Knowing this was his last chance, as the trooper's blaster remained aimed at him the said, "Let me remove my mask, and prove myself. I am no longer Vader".

The rebel lowered his blaster slightly, clearly surprised by Vader's statement. There were few people in the galaxy that had seen Vader without a mask, and many believed it was not possible because he was more machine than man. Anakin could see the indecision in the man's expression but bravely took a step closer to him.

"Noooooo", shouted another trooper from behind Vader. Anakin turned around quickly to see another rebel approaching him fast from behind, clearly seeking to defend his comrade. The rebel aimed his blaster at Vader and fired several shots. Instinctively Anakin withdrew his lightsaber and deflected the shots to defend himself. Unexpectedly the rebel fell to the ground before Anakin realised that one of his deflections had ricocheted and killed him.

"You killed him. You are pure evil Darth Vader", the remaining rebel shouted to him, drawing his attention back in front of him.

Desperately Anakin tried to explain, "I did not mean to. I defended myself from his blaster shots. One hit by accident. Please", he pleaded, frustrated by what had transpired.

Without saying another word, the rebel trooper started to run at Anakin shooting several blaster shots. Anakin again deflected the shots and begged for the rebel to stop. He continued his pursuit as Anakin tried to move away from the rebel. In desperation, the trooper continued to fire at Vader, leaving him no choice but to defend himself. Anakin lifted his sabre up in front of him and when the rebel reached him and wouldn't surrender, he had no choice but to kill him in self-defence. As the two men's bodies laid on the floor, Anakin fell to his knees and asked desperately, "What have I done?".

Suddenly, anger filled him as he rose from his feet and walked around the surrounding area. He felt the anger engulf him as he wanted more rebels to approach him so he could cut them down. He was frustrated that the rebel had not trusted him, that he was not given the chance to prove himself. He was angry that the rebel had not ceased his attack on him and had left him with no choice. He felt his sith yellow eyes burn as the emotions of the dark side overwhelmed him. It had been several weeks since he had felt such dark emotions consume him. Since he had been reunited with Padmé, he had found himself being more at peace and better aligned with the light side of the force as Anakin Skywalker. But right now, he had been confronted with what he had feared, that a big part of him was still Darth Vader, and he was not strong enough to resist the urges of the dark side.


	25. Chapter 25 - Confrontations

Padmé was sat at her desk working her way through the myriad of documents, proposals and letters that had built up. She was thankful she had no meetings today so she could take this opportunity to get through a considerable amount of her work, and it offered her a good distraction from her thoughts of Anakin. As she sat at her desk, engrossed in an article she heard a knock on her door.

"Yes", Padmé said, as he put down the document and looked up.

The trooper opened the door and said, "Sorry to bother you, My Lady. You have a visitor".

Padmé looked at her wrist chrono at the time and was unsure who it could be. Trying not to look too confused she asked, "Oh, who is it trooper?".

He paused for a second and then replied, "It is Emperor Palpatine My Lady".

Padmé tensed at his response and immediately felt her heart rate increase. She forced a smile and tried her best to remain calm before saying, "Very good, please let his majesty in trooper, thank you".

As the Emperor entered her office, Padmé knew she had to compose herself. He had no reason to visit her and she wondered why he had come to her. She wished Anakin was here with her, but right now she had to remain calm and keep her mental walls strong.

"Good afternoon your majesty. To what do I owe the pleasure", she asked, indicating for him to take a seat in front of her desk as she too sat down, trying to ease her shaking hands under the table.

"I like to pay visits to many who serve in the Senate. It is important for me to ensure I consult them and understand their problems", Palpatine replied. Padmé knew this was a complete lie, but she also knew how important it was that she play along with his pretence.

"That is very kind of you your majesty", Padmé replied simply, unsure what to say. She bore so much hatred for this man. He had manipulated her as a young queen and then as a Senator and she knew that it was partially because of her that he was in this position. She had been part of his route to power, as Anakin had.

"I trust you feel suitably protected here during the absence of my apprentice, Lord Vader?", the Emperor asked, looking deeply into her eyes.

"I do thank you, My Lord. It was incredibly kind of you to offer Lord Vader's protection to me. He and his commanders have executed their duties with excellent professionalism and etiquette. I feel perfectly well-protected", she replied with a smile.

"Excellent. It was my hope that assigning my apprentice to protect you would ward off the assailant who made such a cowardly attack on your life Senator", the Emperor stated.

"Indeed, I am very grateful. Serving as Senator is a great privilege and it is an honour to serve my people. But with that privilege comes responsibility and there is always a risk", Padmé told the Emperor. She knew all too well about the risks of being a Senator and had faced more than one threat to her life. She immediately stopped her train of thought as she realised where it would take her.

The Emperor leant back in the chair opposite her and paused for a moment before saying, "You are correct. I have seen many fall victim to such attacks. I'm sure you remember her well, but did you ever have the honour of meeting your predecessor, the late Senator Padmé Amidala?", he asked, watching her intently.

Padmé knew this was a test and kept her face calm of any reaction. She then replied, "Unfortunately I did not ever meet her, but I was starting out my diplomatic career whilst she was the Queen of Naboo".

"That is a shame", he stated half-heartedly, "Senator Amidala was a dear friend of mine. She was an incredibly talented diplomat and leader. It was indeed a huge loss to the Senate and the Galaxy when she died", he added.

"It was a great day of mourning for Naboo, My Lord", Padmé replied, hoping he would soon leave.

"With regards to Senator Amidala, one of her flaws was her ties to certain individuals who threaten peace in our Galaxy. I would not want you to fall into the same trap and suffer the same fate as Senator Amidala. I caution on such relationships Senator, such as with the Senator from Alderaan. I would hate you see you get hurt My Lady", he said coldly, the sincerity in his voice unconvincing.

"I appreciate your concern greatly My Lord. I assure you I am here to serve my planet and engage with individuals professionally to succeed in my role", Padmé replied, keeping her best senatorial face on.

"Good", the Emperor replied as he stood from the chair and turned to depart the room. Just before he reached the doorway, he turned to Padmé and said, "I trust you are enjoying your accommodation in 500 Republica".

Padmé was slightly taken aback by the question and quickly forced a smile and replied, "Indeed, thank you again, my Lord, for your kindness".

He paused and looked directly at her and said, "I only ask because one of my aids mentioned to me that he had not seen you there for several days and I wanted to be sure that the accommodation was to your liking".

It took everything Padmé had not to panic and she took the few seconds she had to quickly think of a response before saying, "I have been very busy these last few weeks My Lord, and consequently I have worked many late nights and made trips off-world. It has been easier for me sometimes to return to my rented premises which are located closer to the Senate, or I have arrived back very late at night".

"I see", the Emperor replied vaguely.

"But again, I am sincerely grateful for you offering the apartment to me. It was very kind my Lord", Padmé added for good measure.

"Think nothing of it, My Lady. I just want to keep you safe so you can continue to do your job for my home planet. Good day Senator Soruna", Palpatine said, nodding to the Senator before turning to exit her office.

"Good day your Highness", Padmé replied as he left.

Once he had gone and her door was closed, Padmé moved to sit down at her desk, panic filling her. _He knows I haven't been staying at 500 Republica_, Padmé thought to herself. _What if he knows I am staying with Vader, What if he knows who I am? What if he knows about the twins? _she thought finally. She tried to calm herself down and convince herself she was being irrational. She was not surprised that Palpatine had had one of his aids watching her at the apartment, and she berated herself for not thinking about that more when she had been staying with Anakin for the last several weeks. She knew she needed to contact Anakin and tell him what had happened. But she could not leave right now. This had been a test, and no doubt the Emperor was watching to see what she would do following their meeting. Deciding she would deal with this later, Padmé refocused and picked up one of her many documents to review and started reading.

Anakin boarded his ship, confident that he could report his findings to the Emperor without arousing any suspicion. He decided it would be wise to contact his master now on his long journey back, before contacting his wife. He could still feel the darkness within him, and whilst he hated himself for what had happened on the planet, he knew the emotions would serve him well in convincing his master of his loyalty. He ran his gloved hand through his hair as his ship took off and departed the planet's atmosphere. He input his master's communication frequency and waited for his image to appear.

"Ahh Lord Vader. I trust your mission on Dantooine has been a success", the Emperor asked.

Anakin nodded and reported, "Yes Master. I discovered a base here on the planet. It is clear the alliance has abandoned it, but a small gathering of rebels remained, and they have been destroyed".

"Good, excellent work Lord Vader. I can feel the darkness flowing through you through the force. It is making you stronger my apprentice. Let the hatred and anger flow freely", he stated.

"Yes, my master. I am most grateful for your teachings", Anakin said, knowing his master would feel his emotions through the force.

"I shall meet you at the Senate upon your return Lord Vader", the Emperor replied.

"Yes Master", Anakin stated, bowing before his master's holo image disappeared.

Palpatine was correct, he was filled with hatred, but it wasn't for the alliance and the rebels as his master believed. He hated himself for the man he had become, he hated all that he had done and the atrocities he had committed for his master, who treated him worse than a slave and who had lied to him. He hated his master with every fibre of his being for convincing him that he had killed Padmé and their unborn child and had made him suffer so much believing he was responsible. But most of all he was overwhelmed by the hatred he felt for the man who had betrayed and nearly killed his wife and children. He knew that Padmé had forgiven him, but truthfully, he knew he would never forgive himself for that awful day on Mustafar. He had made peace with Obi-Wan and they were working on rebuilding their relationship. He planned to bring balance to the force and kill his wicked master and end his tyrannous reign. But that didn't change what he had done, and he hated himself for it. He quickly removed his mask and suit, wanting to be rid of all remnants of Vader and tried to calm down before he contacted his wife.

Padmé was most eager to depart the senate when she had completed her work for the day. Following her usual routine, she was escorted to the hangar bay where she met her driver who took her to Vader's establishments. In the speeder home, she struggled to calm her nerves and she was worried she was now being followed and knew she needed to return to 500 Republica to keep up her façade as Senator Soruna. When she arrived back, she thanked her driver, before informing him that would contact him later this evening to take her to 500 Republica. He responded simply, knowing that he had been asked to execute his duties with the highest level of discretion and secrecy by Lord Vader. Padmé quickly walked towards Anakin's office, hoping he would answer her call.

Anakin had just returned from the fresher aboard his shuttle when he heard his comm ring. He called the device to his hand and answered it.

"Anakin thank goodness, I hope you are okay", he heard his wife say.

"Yes, I am fine. I have completed my mission and I am on my way back to Coruscant. I anticipate I should be back tomorrow afternoon", he replied.

"That is good", she said, pausing before adding, "There is an urgent matter I must discuss with you".

"What is it?", he asked, a little concerned.

"I was visited by the Emperor today", she stated. "He asked if I felt I was sufficiently protected. He also questioned my relationship with Senator Organa and claimed that Padmé Amidala had been romantically involved with him during her tenure as Senator of Naboo", she added distastefully.

Anakin rubbed his chin and said, "That does not surprise me. He has made such a statement to me before in the Senate, in an attempt to rattle me. Is that what has you worried?", he asked.

"No. He then proceeded to ask me how I am enjoying my accommodation at 500 Republica. He knows Anakin. He knows I haven't been staying there. He said he had been informed by one of his aids that I have not been seen there. I told him it was because I work late sometimes or stay in other rented accommodation", Padmé replied, the panic and fear clear in her voice.

Anakin paused for a moment thinking. He acknowledged that in his excitement of Padmé being alive he had neglected to consider the possibility that Palpatine would have her apartment watched. But he knew he needed to calm her down so replied, "He is just trying to unsettle you. He wanted to see how you reacted. He is suspicious of your involvements with the Rebel Alliance and Senator Organa. If anything, he suspects you are with him. He would never suspect you are staying in my establishments", he added.

Padmé was not convinced by his statement and replied, "I am going to stay at 500 Republica tonight. I have informed my driver that I would require transportation there later tonight".

"No Padmé. You cannot go there. It is not safe. I know you are safe in my establishments. And while I am not on the planet, I must know you are staying in a safe location", he stated strongly.

"Anakin, I know it is safe here. But I used to live in 500 Republica and it is perfectly safe. I need to do all I can to avoid drawing any suspicion upon myself. If I return and stay there tonight it will permit things to settle and then we can re-evaluate the situation upon your return", Padmé replied, using her senatorial voice.

Anakin clenched his gloved fist and replied, "No Padmé. We will discuss this matter and develop a solution when I return. But you must remain in my establishments for your safety".

"Anakin, I know you are concerned. But I think it is sensible for me to go to 500 Republica. I have made my decision", she stated strongly.

"Padmé you are being unreasonable", Anakin said becoming increasingly frustrated at the situation.

"No, Anakin. Perhaps it is you who is being unreasonable. You are not here and I am making the decision based on how I feel and the information I have. I am staying there tonight", Padmé contested.

Anakin banged his gloved fist on his shuttle console and said, "Padmé, if you stay there, I cannot guarantee your safety, and if anything was to happen to you, I wouldn't know what to do. I forbid you from going", he ordered.

Padmé was shocked by his statement and replied, "You forbid me? Anakin, I am not one of your troopers you can order around. I am your wife. You are being stubborn and overprotective, and it is clouding your judgement", she added.

"I cannot help how I feel Padmé. I cannot let anything happen to you. You are taking an unnecessary risk and are endangering yourself", Anakin replied, as he felt his anger build.

Padmé too was becoming increasingly frustrated at the situation before saying, "Anakin you are letting your emotions cloud your judgement. I have made my decision". She paused for a moment before adding, "I sometimes think it's because you love me too much". After saying it she immediately regretted the way she worded it, but it was too late.

Anakin was shocked and hurt by her statement and angrily replied, "Well, maybe you don't love me enough". Before any more could be said he terminated the call and threw his commlink across the cockpit of the shuttle.

Padmé was distressed by the events that had just transpired. She did not mean what she said to Anakin but was frustrated at how his feelings were preventing him from seeing the logic behind her decision. It hurt her that he had accused of not loving him enough. How could he say that? How could he believe she did not love him after all they had been through, after she had forgiven him for all he had done, after Mustafar? She had not seen her husband that angry in a long time and wondered what had happened to him on his mission. But right now, she was hurt and wanted to forget about what had just transpired between her and Anakin. Padmé rose from her chair and exited the office, wanting to pack and depart as soon as possible. She knew that if she was being watched she could not arrive with a large case, and instead did her best to fit suitable attire for tomorrow, as well as her toiletries into her normal work case. Having signalled for her driver to come and pick her up, she headed for the hangar bay and then departed Vader's establishments.

Anakin too was distressed by the call he had just had with his wife. He did not mean what he had said to Padmé, but he was frustrated that she would not stay at his establishments where he knew she was safe. It hurt him that she accused him of loving her too much. How could she say that? How could he love his wife too much? She was in his very soul, and he knew that few people would ever understand the bond that he and Padmé shared. But he knew that Padmé loved him, and he should have not cast doubt on that. It still astounded him that she had forgiven him what he did to her on Mustafar, and more than that she opened her heart up to him again and had given him two beautiful children. Anakin knew he needed to talk his wife again, but right now he knew she needed space and that she was likely travelling to 500 Republica. Anakin rose from his chair and exited the cockpit, wanting to try and get some sleep on his journey back before he met with his master tomorrow. He ran a hand through his tousled locks before trying to get some rest in the small shuttle bedroom.

It had been several weeks since Padmé had visited the apartments that the Emperor had assigned to her. When she first visited it, she had been hit by a powerful wave of memories and emotions. It had reminded her of what her life used to be, and it reminded her of Anakin. This was before they had been reunited. Padmé reflected on how much had changed in the last few weeks, as she got into the shower and washed off the makeup disguising her as Senator Soruna. She knew when she next spoke to Anakin, they would both need to apologise for what had been said. But they were both strong-willed and stubborn individuals and Padmé knew they could get past this. After what they had been through, they could truly get through anything together.

Padmé woke up the next morning and quickly got ready for her day. She found it strange how she relished in not being spoilt for choice with regards to what to wear. Having only packed her outfit for today, she only had one choice, and that made getting ready much quicker. She tied her hair in a simple chignon and left her chambers to meet her driver on the balcony. As the speeder got further away from the apartment, Padmé couldn't help but wonder how soon she would be returning. It was something she would need to discuss with Anakin when he was back from his mission. She was still upset about her argument with her husband, but Padmé knew that today she had an important meeting to attend at the Senate and it required her undivided attention. With everything else going on in her life, trying to juggle the twins, her part in the rebel alliance and now her relationship with Anakin, she felt as though she had let her role as Senator of Naboo slide. She had made a commitment to her people and she was not about to let them down. She figured she was fortunate that she was experienced in the position, and that unfortunately, the role of a Senator was not what it used to be, since the inception of the Empire and Emperor Palpatine's authoritarian reign.

Anakin woke up the next morning and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had not gotten a great deal of sleep, as he had been plagued with flashbacks from his encounters on Dantooine, as well as being upset about his argument with Padmé. As he rose from the small bed he sighed heavily. He was not excited about any of the tasks that he was faced with. He had to meet with his master whom he hated more than anything in the galaxy. He had to continue to be subservient to a monster who had lied to him and manipulated him and tell him the stories of the men he had killed. He also had to see Padmé, and whilst he had missed his wife, he was not looked forward to any further confrontations with her and it pained him to see her upset. He headed to the fresher for a shower, wishing desperately that he could wash away his problems.

"Good morning My Lady", the trooper said, greeting her as she arrived in the hangar bay.

Padmé smiled at the Commander and replied, "Good morning to you Commander. How are you?"

"I am well thank you My Lady. I trust you are well", he replied

"I am indeed thank you. I have an important meeting this afternoon, so I will be in my office until then preparing for it, and I will inform you before I leave", she informed him.

"Great, thank you for the notice my Lady", the trooper replied.

They arrived at Padmé's office and the trooper closed the door behind her as she down and started her preparation for the meeting later.

When Anakin exited the fresher he dressed in his usual all-black attire and headed to the cockpit of his shuttle. He double-checked the co-ordinates that had been set for the Senate and knew it wouldn't be long before he would be coming out of hyperspace. Deciding it was pointless prolonging the inevitable he returned to the small room to put on his mask and suit.

Padmé exhaled deeply as she finished reading the final documents that were in front of her in preparation for her meeting. She was about to leave for an important meeting with delegates from other mid rim planets regarding future trade deals. Since starting her position as Senator Soruna, Padmé knew this was important as Naboo had long struggled with some trade deals, especially since the blockage and invasion they experienced from the trade federation. The planet did have value to offer other planets, as it was one of the biggest contributors to the galactic plasma energy trade market, and it was a position that Padmé planned to argue for strongly. Padmé again couldn't help but let her mind wander to her husband, for it had been him who had destroyed the Trade Federations droid control ship. Even as a young boy of only nine, Anakin Skywalker had been a hero, she reflected. She shook her head softly, and cleared her head of thoughts of Anakin, before picking up her necessary papers and exiting her office.

"I must leave for my meeting now trooper", Padmé told him as she stood in the doorway of her office.

"Of course, My Lady. I will escort you there now", he replied as they walked down the long corridor.

Once they arrived at the meeting room Padmé thanked the commander but did not revel with the idea that he would be stood around waiting for her, drawing more attention to herself than she already had since the assassination attempt.

Padmé turned to the trooper and said, "Thank you trooper. I am perfectly safe here. You are free to return to your post and I shall meet you back at my office when the meeting has concluded".

"If you are sure My Lady, I am happy to stay", he added, knowing his orders from Lord Vader were always for her to be watched.

"Absolutely. My office is only down the hall, I will be just fine, and I am sure you have better things to be doing than standing outside a meeting room for several hours. Please, go and have some lunch or a break elsewhere, you deserve it", she added with a soft smile.

"Ok. Thank you, Senator. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact me", he stated as he nodded before leaving her.


	26. Chapter 26 - Tests

"Thank you, Commander", Padmé responded, before entering the meeting room to greet the other delegates. Padmé found herself having to remind herself of who she was. As Senator Amidala she had invested a lot of time in getting to know many of the Senators from other planets, some of whom still served today. Padmé herself was also a well-known figure in the Senate, having been Queen of her planet for 8 years, as well as being a good friend to Senator Palpatine and the Jedi too. But right now, Padmé had to play her part. She wanted to act in the best interest for Naboo, but she also knew she was new to the position and many of the delegates in the room knew very little about her. The meeting began once all invited parties had arrived and Padmé took her seat next to the wookie senator from Kashyyyk. Never had Padmé felt so small than when she sat next to the large wookie. There were many times when she would stand next to her husband and feel small, his broad muscular frame towering over her, but wookies were a species much taller than any humanoids.

Anakin emerged from the small quarters and found he had to duck under the frame of the door in order to enter the cockpit, now encased inside the suit of Darth Vader. He sat down in the pilot's chair as his shuttle began its reversion to sub light. He clenched his gloved fist lightly and stared out the window as his shuttle entered Coruscant's atmosphere. More than anything he wanted to go and see Padmé first, and hold her in his arms and tell her how sorry he was for their fight. But Anakin knew he had a job to do, and he needed to go and see the Emperor first and inform him of his mission. He also knew that Padmé had a job to do and was likely in meetings or reviewing documents. He reflected that this was always the way it had been. They both had duties to perform and they had always tried their best to put their duties first, despite their feelings for one another. As Senator and Jedi, they had continued to serve the Galaxy, whilst keeping their relationship a secret. It had been hard for both of them, and Anakin knew that pressure was a big reason why he was drawn in to Palpatine's manipulations. When Palpatine had revealed that he was aware of his and Padmé's relationship it had almost lifted a huge weight off his shoulder, knowing that someone else knew, and at the time he believed that Palpatine was the key to saving Padmé's life. Anakin shook his head, ridding himself of those memories, realising they were nothing but destructive right now. He remained sitting in the cockpit as he guided his ship through the busy skies of Coruscant towards the Senate.

Padmé did not realise how long their meeting had been going on for until she glanced at her wrist chrono. It had been more than three hours since she had entered the room and the meeting had begun. Despite the continuous back and forth nature of the meeting, Padmé was content that she had conveyed the position of Naboo successfully, and several had articulated their desire to engage in plasma trade with Naboo.

Several minutes later, the Senator from Takodana spoke up and said, "I suggest we call a recess to what has currently been quite a successful meeting. I suggest we all reconvene when we are all available again".

His notion was supported by several other senators including Padmé, who after a long day was more than happy to finish for the day. She stood up and departed the room with a couple of the other senators. As she was about to return to her office, she was approached by one of the senate aids.

"Excuse me, Senator Soruna", the man said, as Padmé removed herself from the small group of senators and came to talk to the aid alone.

"Yes. How can I help you?", she asked curiously.

"There is a man on the level below who wishes to meet with you most urgently", he informed her.

Padmé was surprised by his statement, but then she suddenly realised it must be Anakin. He could not risk meeting her anywhere public in the Senate where they could be seen together. She smiled at the aid before saying, "Thank you, I shall head there at once". The aid nodded and then departed swiftly.

Vader's shuttle came into land in the Senate hangar bay. He remained sat in his seat for a moment, a strange feeling came to him through the force, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He looked at the time and decided that he would go and check on Padmé in her office quickly before meeting the Emperor. He disembarked his ship and headed for the office of Senator Soruna.

Padmé entered the elevator as it descended to the lower levels of the Senate building. Padmé had only ever been down there once, as it was never used for meetings and did not contain any offices. She remembered that she had been taken down her when she had been detained several weeks ago, but other than that she recalled it was mostly just a series of dark corridors.

Vader arrived at Senator Soruna's door and was greeted by the trooper stationed outside. He immediately straightened up before saying, "Lord Vader Sir, I did not expect you to return so soon".

"My mission was a quick one Commander. Where is Senator Soruna?", he asked, as he realised he could not feel her presence inside the room.

"I escorted her to a meeting several hours ago My Lord. She informed me that she was fine to walk back herself as it is not far. I had anticipated that she would be back by now though", he added, glancing at his wrist chrono.

Suddenly a sickening feeling started to build within Anakin. The feeling he was getting through the force was getting stronger. Padmé is in danger, he thought to himself as his mind started to race wondering where she could be.

"I sense the Senator is in trouble commander. Stay here and wait in case she returns. Contact me if she is found", he ordered as he started to head down the corridor, attempting to seek out his wife's force signature.

Unsuspectingly, Padmé exited the elevator and headed down one of the long winding corridors in the lower level. She was certain that if Anakin was down here, he would show himself to her. She continued to venture further on, surprised that he had not revealed himself yet, as she looked around curiously.

Anakin could feel her force signature getting stronger as he walked briskly down one of the long senate corridors. He had already visited the room where her meeting had been and found it vacated. He had been informed that an aid had approached her at the end of the meeting, and he feared that she had maybe been lured into a trap.

Padmé was now growing suspicious as she turned a corner and entered a large common room, not seeing Anakin or indeed anyone around her. She could hear the faint sound of ticking noise and continued to walk towards the source of the sound. As she approached the end of the room, she suddenly became aware of the source of the noise and screamed. In front of her was a large detonation device, that Padmé did not doubt was a bomb. She had been lured down here so that she could be killed with no witnesses. Panic filled her saw the device and continued to hear the ticking noise. Anakin help me! her mind screamed. She tried to force her legs to turn around and run away, but she was paralysed with fear, unable to believe what was happening.

Anakin had felt Padmé's cry for him through the force and immediately began to run towards her, using her force presence like a beacon. He entered the elevator and felt his body tense up with fear. Right now, he was faced with the prospect of losing Padmé, and he was supposed to have been the one protecting her. He could not lose her. As soon as the elevator doors opened, he used the force to augment his speed, racing down the corridors towards Padmé.

Padmé had managed to fight her paralysis and began to run away from the device. She felt her heart beating out of her chest as she ran back in the direction she had come. Seconds later the bomb detonated.

"Padmé!", she heard someone shout, as she felt her feet be lifted off the floor, as the power of the explosion hit her. She crashed against the floor, as parts of the walls and ceilings caved in and fell down on top of her. In amongst the clouds of smoke and fire, and the deafening ringing in her ears, Padmé realised that someone had been laying on top of her, shielding her from the blast. She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and realised that a shard of metal had impaled her side. She groaned in pain as she looked around, tilting her head to the side, trying to find her savour. But he had already slipped away into the darkness, having checked that Padmé was alive and that medics and aids were on their way down to help her. Padmé felt herself floating in and out of consciousness. All she could see was the rooms around her had crumbled and that several small fires had gathered, as a result of the explosion. She heard several concerned voices shouting her name, before she succumbed to unconsciousness.

Anakin braced himself against the wall of a dark narrow corridor. He could not believe what had just happened. His wife's life had flashed before his eyes and he had so nearly not got to her in time. It pained him so much that he had had to leave her. All he wanted to do was pick her up and take her to the medical centre and sit by her side and tell her how much he loved her. He had reached her just as the bomb had detonated and had jumped on top of her as parts of the building caved in around them. She had sustained an injury to her side, but Anakin knew that she would survive. He too had not been left unscathed, but right now he knew he needed to meet with the Emperor, who no doubt had heard about what had just happened. It took everything Anakin had to not turn around and head to Coruscant Medical to be with his wife. But he hoped that if he could meet with his master now, he would be able to go and visit her later and heal her. He called on the anger and hate he was feeling to help him ignore the physical pain he was feeling. He refused to look weak in front of his master, so he would deal with his injuries later.

Vader entered his master's office, and saw Sidious was stood up in front of his desk with his hands behind his back.

"What has happened Vader?", the Emperor asked impatiently.

"There has just been another attack on Senator Soruna, My Lord. A bomb had been placed in the lower levels and she was lured there", he reported.

"And I gather you got there in time to save her", he commented.

"She has sustained some injuries, but she has been taken to Coruscant Medical", Vader commented neutrally.

Sidious paused for a moment before saying, "It appears that Senator Soruna is very lucky that you were there to save her. She is almost as lucky as the late Senator Amidala, perhaps even more so", he added, knowing it would anger his apprentice.

Maintaining his composure Vader stated, "I was assigned to protect her My Master, and I always seek to execute my orders successfully".

"Indeed, my friend", he stated. "Well, we cannot let this attack go unpunished. I cannot be seen to not investigate such an attack on one of the senators, it would reflect badly on me. You must find the assailant Lord Vader", he added.

"Yes, My Master", he replied, bowing before his master, hoping he could now leave. As he turned to exit his master spoke up.

"Oh, and Lord Vader. Your trip to Dantooine was a success based on the information you were able to extract from Senator Soruna's mind. But should her usefulness expire, I will consider removing your protection from her. I cannot risk losing such as asset for one disposable naïve senator", he spat.

"Yes Master, I understand. I will keep you apprised of my investigation", he added, before leaving his masters office.

When Padmé awoke, her eyes were immediately blinded by the harsh bright white lights inside her medical suite. She squinted, trying to allow her eyes to adapt to the bright room. She turned to the side to see a young woman stood a few metres away from her bed.

"Ahh, Senator Soruna you are awake", she commented softly with a smile.

"Where am I?", Padmé asked, knowing she was in hospital but wanted to confirm her location.

"You are in Coruscant Medical My Lady. You were brought here after the explosion. Do you remember much about that?", she asked, wanting to asses if the senator had experienced any short-term memory loss.

"Yes, yes I remember", she replied. She felt a sharp pain in her side as she looked down to see a large bacta patch on her stomach.

"I will have the doctor come in to talk to you My Lady", the woman replied, before turning to leave the room.

Padmé laid her head back against the pillows and tried to calm herself. She had so many questions flying through her mind, Why had she been targeted again? Had it been Anakin who had saved her? If so, where was he and was he okay? She fought back the tears at the thought of her husband. The last time they had spoken they had had a terrible argument with them both saying things they regretted, and all she wanted to do now was see him and tell him how sorry she was. Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw the woman return, with an older man who she guessed was her doctor.

"Hello Senator, I am Doctor Voss. How are you feeling?", he asked her as he approached her bed.

"I have felt better", she replied, trying her best to sit up in bed.

"Indeed, I can imagine so. I will have the nurse give you some additional pain medication", he informed her. "You have sustained several cuts, abrasions and burns from the attack, as well as quite a deep laceration on your left side from where a piece of metal had been lodged from the explosion. We have dressed and covered the wound, but it was fairly deep and will take a considerable amount of time to heal", he reported.

"That explains the splitting headache as well then I guess", she replied. "I think I was thrown far with the blast impact", she added, trying her best to remember what happened. It had all happened so fast. She remembered someone shouting her name and before she knew it, she was on the floor, and now she was here at the medical centre.

"Yes, you were. However, I must say you have been incredibly lucky My Lady. There are very few I have ever seen walk away from such an attack. I was informed that Lord Vader shielded you from a lot of the explosion debris just after detonation", the doctor informed her.

Padmé couldn't help as her throat constricted at his statement. So, she was right. It was Anakin who had shielded her from the blast. But what had happened to him? Why did she not see him after when she was taken to the medical centre? Why had he disappeared? Was he hurt? Was he alive?

"It appears I owe Lord Vader my life", she commented, trying not to let the deep emotions she felt be seen.

"Yes, My Lady", he replied. "Now, I shall leave you to rest this evening, and I will have the nurse give you some more medication for your pain and your headache. Try and get some rest and I will come and see you tomorrow to evaluate your progress. Good day Senator", he said with a small bow.

"Thank you, doctor", she responded gratefully. She watched him and the nurse leave before turning her head away from the door and crying softly. Padmé was so terrified. Not only had someone tried to kill her again, but they had got to close to succeeding, and if it was not for Anakin she would certainly have died. And what if his act of saving her had cost him his own life, she thought. Padmé shook her head and realised she could not think like that, she would know if Anakin had died, she would feel it. She had just got him back after all this time and she could not lose him again.

"My Lady are you awake?", she heard a voice ask her from the door.

She quickly wiped her eyes and turned to see a trooper stood at the door. "Yes trooper, come in".

He nodded his head and then said, "Firstly Senator, I just want to say how sorry I am for what has happened to you, and I know we will do all we can to find the responsible party", he stated strongly.

"Thank you, trooper, I appreciate your concern", she replied.

"I also wanted to inform you that Senator Organa heard of your attack and has asked if he can see you. But I wanted to see if you were in a fit enough state for a guest", he stated.

"I am well enough thank you trooper, please invite the good Senator in", she replied.

"Okay My Lady", he responded before exiting and returning soon after next to Bail Organa. Once he had entered the room the trooper closed the door and assumed his post outside.

"Oh Padmé, I am so sorry to see you like this", Bail said sadly as he walked towards her bed.

"I am okay Bail really. Most of my wounds are superficial and will heal soon enough", she replied, trying to reassure her friend.

"As soon as news spread of the attack, we were all dismissed from the Senate. The Emperor has announced he will be engaging a full squad to investigate. It has created quite a stir", he commented.

At the mention of Palpatine, Padmé immediately replied, "Have you seen him Bail? Have you seen Anakin? I was informed by the doctor that he was the one who shielded me following the blast. He is the reason I am alive Bail; I have to know he is okay", she said, a tear coming to her eye and the fear clear in her voice.

It pained Bail to see the pain in his friend's eyes as he replied, "I have not seen him Padmé. After the explosion, the medical team and lots of troops headed down to the lower levels where they found the explosion sight. You were the only one they treated. If Anakin had been there, he had disappeared as soon as he had saved you", he replied honestly.

"Promise me if you hear anything you will inform me. I don't know how long I will be here Bail, and I know Anakin cannot risk coming here to see me. And please can you contact Obi-Wan and the twins and tell them I am okay. If news reaches them about the attack, I do not want to worry them, please will you do that for me", she said quickly, her panic beginning to show.

Bail placed a hand on her shoulder softly and replied, "Padmé, you need to calm down. This is not going to help you recover, and right now that is the best thing you can do so you can be discharged and see Anakin and the twins".

Their conversation was interrupted when the nurse entered the room. She saw Bail's hand on the Senator's shoulder and said, "Sorry to interrupt, I am just here to give the Senator some more pain medication. It should help you sleep My Lady". She then administered the drip and left as quickly as she could.

Bail tried to make light of the situation and replied, "I hope she did not get the wrong idea by my gesture".

Padmé smiled and said, "You needn't worry Bail. And in any event, it may work in of favour. Anakin has informed me that the Emperor believes there is something going on between Senator Soruna and yourself. Whilst this is nothing more than a ploy, I do not want you to be drawing any unnecessary attention to yourself, Bail. The Emperor is already suspicious of your intentions, and right now we must bide our time", she told her friend.

"I know Padmé. He has suspected me for a long time, since the inception of our petition for the Delegation of 2000. But I understand your concerns and I will do all I can to appease the Emperor for now", Bail replied.

"Thank you Bail. Thank you for being such a good friend to me over the years, and for all, you have done for me and for coming to see me now", she told him with a smile.

"It is my pleasure Padmé. Now, please try and get some rest, and I will get in contact with Obi-Wan to settle him, and I will inform you if I hear anything about Anakin", he replied.

"Thank you so much. Goodnight Bail", Padmé responded.

"Goodnight", he replied before turning and leaving her suite.


	27. Chapter 27 - Aftermath

Padmé was grateful for having a suite to herself. She started to feel the pain medication take effect as her abdominal wound started to throb less. She closed her eyes and decided to try and get some sleep.

It was nearly midnight and Anakin was finally leaving the Senate. After meeting with his master, he had been instructed to help evacuate the Senate building. Sidious had decided to in order to keep face with the Senators and with the public, it needed to appear like he cared for their safety. Consequently, Vader had spent many hours scouring the Senate for all remaining beings and ensuring the building was entirely vacated. As he walked towards his shuttle he knew exactly where he was going to go. He needed to go and see his wife. He could feel her in pain through the force and he knew that he would be able to heal her wound with the force. Since the explosion he had been overwhelmed by emotions: anger, hatred, fear, pain. But he knew he had to be grateful that he had got to his wife in time, and that she was going to be okay. He cared little for his own injuries, and he would be able to heal himself once he had dealt with more important matters. Vader boarded his shuttle and directed his ship towards Coruscant Medical. He knew he could not appear there as Vader and would have to use the force to cloak his presence and get to his wife.

With the help of the pain medication, Padmé had finally fallen asleep. She found herself drifting in and out of consciousness, as the effects of the medication began to subside. She opened her eyes in the darkened room and saw a cloaked figure near her. She could have sworn she was dreaming as the figure walked closer to her. He reached out and placed a gloved hand on her abdomen gently. There was something so comforting about the figure's presence, but Padmé was struggling to remain conscious through the effects of her medicine.

"Anakin", Padmé breathed softly. She then felt the figure remove his hand from her and she looked up at him, only to see his face was covered by a large hood. She received no answer, and then succumbed to sleep once more. Quietly, Anakin left the room, content he had healed her and got to see his wife. He then exited the medical centre the way he had come, cloaking his presence as he went.

Padmé awoke the next morning feeling considerably better than she had last night. She cast her mind back to the dream she had experienced last night, as she had imagined that Anakin had come to visit her. He had not been here long, but he had come by her side and rested his hand on her wound. It gave Padmé a sense of reassurance that he was alive, if she had dreamed about him. But more than anything she wanted the dream to be real, and for her husband to be here in front of her now. She lifted her head when she heard the door open, and the doctor enter her suite.

"Good morning, Senator. How are you feeling this morning?", he asked kindly.

"Much better thank you. The medication you prescribed me helped considerably and I was able to sleep undisturbed most of the night", she reported.

"That is very good to hear", he stated, as he came towards her and asked her some questions and tested her for signs of a concussion. "Now I just want to see how your abdominal wound is healing if you don't mind", he stated. She nodded as he lifted up her gown to reveal the large bacta patch covering her side. He lifted it up to examine the wound and he could not hide the shocked expression on his face when he saw it.

"Is everything alright doctor?", Padmé asked, seeing his face and growing concerned.

He paused for a moment and then said, "I am just truly shocked and amazed by your recovery. It is like nothing I have ever seen before. Beyond what any bacta patch could do overnight. It is almost as though the wound was never there", he added.

Padmé looked down and touched the area lightly with her finger, also astounded by the discovery that it was healed. Anakin had come, she thought to herself. He had come and healed her using the force. A huge smiled swept across Padmé's face as she realised it meant her husband was alive. She then turned to Doctor Voss and said, "I consider myself to be very fortunate on many accounts doctor. I am most grateful for all the care you have provided".

The doctor smiled before saying, "It is my pleasure and honour to serve you My Lady. But your recovery was not my doing, and I am still astounded as to how you have healed", he said. The doctor couldn't help but wonder whether the Senator was force sensitive. He had heard about how beings like the Jedi were able to heal themselves. But he knew he was treading down a dangerous path. He had been alive long enough to know about the history of the Jedi and Darth Vader, and he knew that if the senator was under Darth Vader's protection, she could not be force sensitive.

"As I have healed so well Doctor, am I able to be discharged today", Padmé asked as she sat up in bed. "I have access to a private medical droid who can monitor my recovery further, and should I require any additional medical attention I will return. I just feel I am doing a disservice occupying a bed when I no longer need it", she told the doctor.

Doctor Voss paused for a moment and then replied, "I want to perform some final checks on you before you go Senator, but if they return fine, I am happy to discharge you", he told her. "On the condition that you take some time off from work to recovery fully. I have been informed that the Senate has been temporarily disbanded whilst an investigated is being conducted, so I do not anticipate that this being a problem", he added.

"Thank you, doctor,", Padmé replied. He then informed her that he would return soon to conduct some final tests before she could be discharged.

Anakin sat at the head of the large table finding it nearly impossible to focus on the topic of the conversation. He had not slept properly in several days and had returned to the Senate after he had visited his wife in the medical centre. Despite the Senate being disbanded, he had been called to an important meeting for an update on the progress of the Death Star. As Vader had been put in charge of analysing the machine's schematics his master had demanded he attend to contribute and then inform him of its progress. He had called on the force to help him deal with the pain he was experiencing. He had sustained several injuries from the explosion that he had not yet sought treatment for. But it wasn't just the physical pain that was exhausting him, he found he was being mentally tortured too. He had felt a great degree of conflict on Dantooine after his encounter with rebels, and this had led to him being increasingly frustrated when he spoke to his wife, and they had both said hurtful things to one another. But worst of all, Anakin had been within seconds of losing his wife before his eyes. The thought of losing her was more than he could bear, after all that was the reason for his initial fall to the dark side. But there in the Senate, the threat had been immediate. Had he not got to Padmé exactly when he had and been able to shield her from most of the debris and shrapnel, she surely would have died. Vader clenched his fist tightly as the thoughts churned within his mind.

It did not go unnoticed by several at the table that Lord Vader appeared to be increasingly tense and agitated. They all knew about the explosion, but none had dared to ask the Dark Lord what had happened and whether he was alright. Truthfully, many did not care for his well-being. As he was second in command of the Empire, if he was to die it would open up a vacancy within the Imperial hierarchy, and it was something many of the power-hungry men around the table were desperate for. Their thoughts were not unknown to Vader, but right now he cared little for what they thought about him, or even about their feelings for the Empire. He just wanted to know that Padmé was alright, and that he had been successful in protecting her as he promised he would always do.

"Well, Senator. All your vitals appear to be normal which is good. Your bruising and burns should heal and lessen over the coming days, and you can have your droid monitor your recovery and will be able to prescribe you any pain medication that you require. But if any problems persist, please do not hesitate to return", the Doctor informed her with a smile.

"I will thank you so much for your care Doctor", Padmé told him again, as she got up off the bed slowly.

"I will inform your trooper of your plans", the doctor said as he turned to leave her suite.

Several moments later the trooper entered and said, "My Lady, I am glad to see you are recovering well. The doctor has told me you have been discharged".

"Yes, I have. I will be most grateful to return to my accommodation and have a shower", she told him.

"I can imagine so My Lady", he paused for a moment and then said, "This may sound odd My Lady, but I was told that when you were discharged a droid C3PO had been programmed to pick you up and take you back to your accommodation. Does that mean anything to you?", he asked.

Padmé paused for a second and then replied, "Yes it does trooper thank you". She figured that Anakin must have used the force to influence the troopers mind when he was here.

"Okay Madam. I shall escort you to the medical hangar bay when you are ready", he said nodding and turning to leave.

Padmé stood up from her medical bed and walked slowly over towards the door. She was in her medical gown but could see no other clothes available to her. She did not realise how much the explosion must have exhausted her, because even the short walk across the room was tiring. She met her trooper outside, as he patiently walked at her pace, supporting her with his arm as the exited the medical centre.

When she met C3PO in the hangar, she assumed he had been informed by Anakin to omit all comments of familiarity. Instead he only greeted her as Senator, as she was helped into his speeder by the trooper. She thanked him with a smile and said she hopes she will see him back in the Senate soon. He tells her to recover and he will be ready to serve her upon her return, before she leaves with C3PO.

"Where is he Threepio, where is Anakin?", Padmé asked as soon as she was alone with the droid.

"I am afraid I have not seen Master Anakin for a long time Senator. He did not return home last night, but I was instructed to pick you up from Coruscant Medical and bring you back when you had been discharged. I must say it blesses my circuits to see you are better My Lady. I was most distressed when I heard about the attack", the golden droid told her as he followed the sky lanes of traffic across the busy city. Padmé was concerned that he had not returned home after he had come to see her, and that he still was not there now. She only hoped he would return home soon, so that she could tell him how much she loved him. When they arrived back at Anakin's establishments, C3PO helped her out of the speeder and escorted her back upstairs before saying, "I am sure you want to go and relax Miss Padmé. I have laid some fresh clothes out for you on your bed".

Padmé smiled at the droid and said, "Thank you Threepio. I am going to go and have a bath. Will you please let me know as soon as Anakin returns?", she asked.

"Of course, My Lady", he replied.

Padmé walked slowly up to her bed chambers, desperately wanting to get out of her medical gown and clean herself properly. Once in her room, she removed her gown and entered the fresher and started to run her bath. She stopped in front of the mirror and took a moment to look at herself. She suddenly realised she still had her green eye contacts in, which greatly helped to obscure her true identity, but she removed them now wanting to be free of her disguise. Her hair remained in the messy remnants of the style she had been wearing before the explosion. Her makeup had been removed, and the accident had left her with several cuts, bruises and burns on her face. She gently moved her finger over one of the cuts and could not help but reflect how lucky she had been. Once the bath was full, she stepped in gently and lowered herself into the warm water and tried to relax her tired and aching body. Padmé had had little chance in the last 24 hours to reflect what had happened. As she did, she felt a huge wave of emotions overwhelm her as she covered her mouth with her hand and sobbed. Despite her best intentions as Senator Soruna, someone had still wanted her dead, and had carefully concocted a plan that had been designed to lure her down to a place of isolation, where she would have died alone with no one to help her. In those brief seconds before the device detonated, Padmé remembered thinking of the twins, and how much she did not want to leave them. Her thoughts were also of her husband, who after so long apart, she did not want to leave so soon. But Padmé had to be grateful. She had so much to be grateful for. It was not just that Anakin had saved her and risked his own life in the process. But Padmé thanked the stars for the friends that she had, like Obi-Wan and Bail, and more than anything she was grateful for her children, Luke, and Leia. They were the best gifts she could have ever been given, and she knew that in that moment she had wanted to live for them, so she could continue to love and protect them.

Padmé got out of the bath and sat down at her dressing table, brushing her hair gently. Over the years she had found comfort from this simple action, and it was no different now. She then plaited her hair neatly and put on a comfortable night gown and cover. Just as she was finished, she heard a knock at the door and was greeted by C3PO who said, "Miss Padmé, I wanted to let you know that Master Anakin's ship had just entered the hangar bay".

The droid had barely finished his sentence before Padmé had passed him and ran down the hallway towards the main living area. Anxiety filled her as she waited to see her husband. She had been so worried about him, and she knew that undoubtedly, he had shared the same worries for her. When she reached the living area she stopped and waited, knowing Anakin would appear soon. Seconds later she felt herself being lifted into her husband's strong arms and spun around the room.

"Padmé", she heard him say, his voice muffled as his head was pressed again her chest.

"Oh Anakin", Padmé replied simply, her emotions taking over at the sight of her husband.

"I thought I wouldn't get to you in time", he said as he put her down and faced her. He gently reached his gloved hand up to her face, noticing the cuts and burns on her face.

Padmé placed a hand over his and said, "You did. Anakin, you saved me".

Anakin could feel himself starting to weaken, as his abilities to mask his injuries wavered. He had wanted to hide any sign of injury or weakness from his master, and the governor's, so consequently had left them unattended.

"That was … all I … wanted to do", he said, struggling to finish the sentence.

A look of concern started to grow on Padmé's face as she saw her husband struggle to remain standing. She placed a hand gently on his chest and was horrified when she saw blood on her hand. Seconds later Anakin collapsed on the floor, finally succumbing to the trauma of his injuries.

Padmé screamed as her husband fell to the floor and desperately tried to lift his large frame off the ground. "Threepio", she shouted desperately. The droid appeared quickly as Padmé shouted, "Anakin has collapsed, quickly have some droids come and help me get him to the medical suite now". Padmé grabbed her husband's hand and said, "Hold on Ani. We are getting you to the medical wing".

The next hour was a blur to Padmé, as her husband was taken to the medical wing of the establishments and attended too by several droids whilst he lay unconscious on a medical bed. Padmé paced up and down the suite, and she kept glancing at her husband as she saw droids come and go, fetching articles of equipment to save her husband.

As she stood anxiously waiting for an update on Anakin's condition, a medical droid approached her.

"How is he?", Padmé asked, wiping the tears from her eyes in an attempt to compose herself.

"Lord Vader had sustained several severe wounds. It appears he was involved in a high impact explosion of some kind. He had several burns and lacerations, but our biggest concern is that he has broken several ribs and consequently punctured a lung. It was truly a miracle that he entered these establishments walking. He is incredibly lucky to still be alive", the droid commented.

"What can you do?", Padmé asked desperately.

"We are going to submerge him in bacta for several hours. We hope that will accelerate the healing of his internal injuries. I am conscious that Lord Vader has experienced respiratory complications in the past, and if we do not heal his lungs now, I am unsure of the long-term effects.", it reported.

Padmé took a minute to process what the droid had told her and then said, "Okay thank you. Just please, do all you can to save him".

"We will do everything we can My Lady. I suggest you perhaps retire for the night. Lord Vader will need to be in bacta for several hours and then we are going to place him on a respirator. It is likely he will not be conscious before morning", the droid advised her as Threepio entered the suite.

Padmé looked at Anakin again, the sight of his unconscious and injured body making her heart ache desperately. But she knew right now there was nothing she could do for her husband. Deciding that resisting sleep would do her no good following her injuries, Padmé conceded and was escorted to her bed chambers by C3PO. As they reached her room Padmé told the droid, "I will sleep with my comm right next to me. If anything changes with Anakin you must inform me at once Threepio", Padmé ordered.

"Yes Miss Padmé. But please, try and get some sleep. I was informed of the injuries you sustained after the attack, and it is important for you to rest as well", he told her.

"Thank you Threepio", Padmé said with a small smile before retiring for the night and attempting to sleep. She found herself tossing and turning most of the night, her exhausted body only succumbing to sleep for a short time. Padmé woke up early in the morning and head straight for the medical suite, praying that Anakin had responded well to the treatment overnight and was recovering. When she entered the medical suite, she was shocked and relieved to see her husband sitting up in the medical bed. He smiled when he saw her enter the room, and Padmé could not resist but run towards her husband and embrace him tightly.

"Anakin, I was so worried about you", Padmé said, holding him tightly as he remained sat in his bed.

"I am alright Padmé", he responded, his voice still a little raspy from being on the respirator.

"Why didn't you tell me you were injured? Why didn't you get help after the explosion?", she asked, chiding him for not looking after himself.

"My only concern was for you my love", he replied, gently brushing away a stray hair from her face. "I planned on healing myself once I had checked on you at Coruscant Medical. But I had been requested urgently by the Emperor and then called into an emergency meeting with the governors, and I could not appear weak in front of them", he told her, knowing that his neglect for his health had nearly been fatal.

Padmé knew that he should have sought medical help, but she also knew that telling him now would not change what happened. And right now, she did not want to be angry with her husband, she just thanked the stars that he was okay. She leant down and kissed his lips softly before saying, "Words cannot express my gratitude Anakin. You saved my life. I do not know how you got to me in time. But you did. Thank you".

Anakin smiled at his wife's statement and then replied, "You never have to thank me Padmé. All I knew was that I had to save you. There were not any other options. I could not live without you Padmé. I have never run that fast in my life, but I just knew that I had to get to you, because if you were going to die, then I was going to die with you", he confessed, remembering the thoughts that had raced through his head seconds before the explosion.

"Anakin don't say things like that", she told him. "We couldn't let that happen, because we could not leave Luke and Leia without any parents", she said, the thought of leaving the twins alone upsetting her deeply.

"I'm sorry Padmé", he said, having not meant to upset her. "I just can't tell you how happy it makes me feel to see you standing here. I would have taken these injuries a million times over to see you still stood here. Even if I did not manage to stop you getting hurt", he added, touching her face softly, observing her cuts and bruises.

Padmé touched his hand and replied, "They are nothing compared to what could have been. They will heal soon", she told him. He then moved his hand gently to her abdomen, cautious not to apply any pressure. She smiled and then said, "It's okay, it doesn't hurt at all anymore. I guess I have you to thank for that as well Anakin. The doctor was incredibly shocked to see the recovery I made. He said it was like nothing he had ever seen", she added with a smile.

"I'm sorry I could not stay with you when I came to visit. I just knew I had to come and see you and heal you and I could not risk getting caught", he told her.

Padmé placed a finger over his lip and said, "You have nothing to be sorry for Anakin. You saved my life".

Anakin paused for a moment and then replied, "Yes I do. I am so sorry for what I said to you on our call. I was blinded by ignorance and I was unreasonable and more than that, I had the audacity to accuse you of not loving me enough. I think of it now and it makes me sick that I could accuse you of such a thing. When you have welcomed me back into your life after what I did. You have opened your heart up to me again and let me love you and be your husband. You have given me two beautiful babies and you have stood by me whilst I am trying desperately to become the man you want me to be. I never should have said it Padmé and I am so sorry", he said passionately, a tear escaping his eye.

Padmé reached for his hand, touched by his words and replied, "I am sorry too Anakin. It was horrible of me to say you love me too much when that is not possible. No one has ever understood the bond we share and the love we have for one another. I know how much you love me and the twins and that you would be willing to do anything in the Galaxy for us, and that is something that most people never experience in a hundred lifetimes. I love you so much", she told him, kissing him softly.

Anakin returned the kiss with equal passion and ran a hand through his wife's soft curls. Right now, he was overwhelmed with emotions of love and gratitude. The anger and hatred he had felt had been washed away and it was all because of his wife. She was the reason he was changing. Where there was Padmé there could be no Darth Vader.


	28. Chapter 28 - Consequences

They broke the kiss as a medical droid approached them and said, "We are pleased to see you responding well to our treatments Lord Vader".

Anakin looked at the droid and replied, "Yes. Thank you for your care".

"Does he need any further medical attention?", Padmé asked, still worried about her husband.

The droid looked at the pair and then responded, "Lord Vader, you experienced several cuts and burns from the blast, but most seriously you broke several ribs and punctured a lung. We were concerned this could exacerbate your existing respiratory condition, which is why we placed you in bacta straight away and have had you on a respirator since we removed you from the tank".

"Is any damage long-term?", Padmé asked.

"We don't think so. Lord Vader is young and healthy and possesses an anomaly in his blood stream that for reasons unknown to us accelerates his body's healing processes", he reported.

"Midichlorians", Anakin stated, once the droid had finished speaking.

"How much longer must I stay here?", Anakin asked, having never been a good patient. During the clone wars when he had sustained several serious injuries, he had always been restless about returning to his duties and could not remain idle for long.

"We want to monitor your vitals for a few more hours and then I will be happy to discharge you from here. However, we strongly recommend you do not return to work immediately Lord Vader. You must rest for a few days. You should not underestimate the physical strain your body has endured in the last few hours", he added.

"I will make sure of it thank you", Padmé told the droid.

"Good. I will also prescribe some pain medication for you Lord Vader", the droid added before leaving the couple.

"I am not sure that I will be able to remain here for several days. The emperor is growing increasingly impatient and the governors are restless as of late. There are too many things requiring my attention", he said, running a hand through his hair as he laid on the medical bed.

Padmé moved to sit on the end of her husbands' bed. Having not slept well last night and after all she had been through, she was very tired and was grateful to sit down. She then said, "It is important to rest and recover Anakin. You surely must admit that your body has been under an unbelievable amount of physical and mental stress lately. I cannot sit here and watch you push yourself over the edge, because if something was to happen to you, I would never forgive myself. You keep telling me that your final encounter with Palpatine is nearing, surely it is imperative that you are as strong as possible for that", she told him, knowing that they had repeatedly discussed how important it was that he be at his strongest for when the time came.

"I know Padmé. But I still have responsibilities as Vader, enormous responsibilities. And I cannot risk him doubting my unwavering allegiance to him. There is too much at stake right now", he told her, looking at her face and examining the cuts and bruises painted on her angelic face.

"I know Anakin", she said softly. Tears sprang to her eyes as she said, "I just wish things were different".

Anakin took her hand and said, "This will be over soon angel, I promise you. You, Luke, Leia and I will be together as a family soon, and never again will we have to live in fear of discovery", he promised his wife, hating to see her in this much distress.

Wanting to distract herself from the current situation, Padmé stood from the bed slowly and asked, "Would you like me to make you breakfast and bring it here?".

"Only if you feel well enough to", he replied, still concerned that she too had been badly injured not long ago.

Padmé leant down and kissed her husband's forehead before replying, "Okay, I will be back soon".

Padmé left the medical wing and headed towards the kitchen to make her and Anakin some breakfast. She ran a hand through her tousled hair and rubbed her temples softly trying to alleviate herself of a headache that was she was finding hard to ignore. She focused on making breakfast and returned to Anakin not long after. When she arrived back, they sat together on Anakin's medical bed and ate their food.

"I think we should contact the twins and Obi-Wan later. No doubt they have heard of the incident and they must be worried. And after yesterday and thinking about them in what I thought were my last moments, I just want to hear their voices", Padmé told Anakin.

Anakin looked up at his wife and replied, "I think that is a good idea. I know how much we both miss the twins and how much they miss us. We will call them once I have been discharged", he reassured her.

They finish their breakfast before the medical droid returns to complete some final checks on Anakin. Padmé moved out of the droid's way, standing up from her husbands' bed. She did so too quickly, and felt her head start to spin. She quickly reached for the end of the bed for support, as the dizziness started to ease.

Anakin noticed his wife's reaction and asked, "Are you okay, Padmé?"

Padmé turned to Anakin, not wanting to concern him with something so minor and said, "Yes, I'm fine. I just stood up too fast".

Before Anakin could express his uncertainties, the medical droid completed his assessment and said, "I am happy enough that you are recovering sufficiently to be discharged Lord Vader. However, your body is still healing, and rest and recuperation are essential. I strongly recommend you take several days leave and avoid any strenuous physical exertion which could cause further injury or labor your breathing", it reported.

"I cannot guarantee how long I will be able to remain at rest for. I have duties to perform and many things that require my attention", Anakin replied, his mind racing with all the things he knew he needed to do.

Padmé interjected and said, "I will make sure he rests, thank you".

"I have prescribed some medication for you Lord Vader. And I ask you return for a check-up in two days' time, or earlier if you experience any pain, discomfort or difficulty breathing", the droid added, as Anakin put on a shirt C3PO had brought him.

"As you wish", Anakin replied, as he moved to stand up from the bed and leave with his wife.

As they left the medical wing Padmé said, "Now you heard the droid. You must rest Anakin. It is important you recover fully".

"I know Padmé", he said, "But you must understand the Emperor is a paranoid and unpredictable man. I do not know what his next move will be and what he will ask of me. I must not raise his suspicions. I have to keep up this act and serving that monster. I am doing it for you, for you Luke and Leia, for all of us", he added passionately.

"I know Anakin", Padmé replied softly, as the pair continued to walk down the corridor slowly, towards Anakin's office to contact their children and Obi-Wan.

When they arrived, Anakin sat down in his large office chair, and pulled Padmé into his arms softly so she was sitting on his lap. She hesitated for a moment, worried about his injuries, but he assured her that there was no place better for her to be. Padmé input the comm frequency as they sat waiting for an answer.

"Padmé is that you?", they heard a voice say seconds later.

Padmé leant forward in apprehension and replied, "Yes, Obi-Wan, me and Anakin are both here".

"Oh, thank the force. I heard about the explosion in the Senate. Bail Organa told me, and it has spread across the galaxy in the news already", he told them.

"We are alright Obi-Wan", Padmé reassured him. "Anakin returned from Dantooine and got to the Senate in time. He saved me".

"I am so glad to hear you are both alright. I told the twins what happened. But just like me they could feel through the force that you were alive. It is remarkable that they have such a connection to both of you", he stated proudly.

"May we speak to them Obi-Wan", Padmé asked.

"Of course,", he replied.

The comm went quiet for a moment before they heard a muffling sound and were then greeted by the twins voices.

"Mummy and daddy, we knew you were okay. Obi-Wan said you had been in an accident, but we knew you were alive", Leia said.

Tears sprang to both Padmé and Anakin's eyes as their children spoke. "Yes we are okay my babies. I promised you I would never leave you and I kept that promise. Your daddy was a hero and he saved me", she told her children.

"Dad, that's awesome. We always knew you were a hero", Luke said.

"Yeah daddy. You are the best Jedi in the whole galaxy", Leia added excitedly.

"Well, I don't know about that Leia", Anakin stated, "All I know is that I love your mother more than life itself, and I had to save her so that I could bring her back to you two", he added, embracing Padmé from behind as she remained sitting on his knee.

"Mummy and daddy just need to talk to Obi-Wan about something children. Why don't you two go and play for a few moments and then me and daddy will talk to you before we go", Padmé said, knowing she did not want Luke and Leia to hear all of this and worry.

"Okay mummy", the twins replied in unison before departing.

"What is happening now in the Senate?", Obi-Wan asked.

"The Senate has been disbanded while an investigation is underway. Vader is leading the investigation under the Emperor's orders", Anakin informed him.

"We should use this time as an opportunity to gain support within the alliance", Obi-Wan replied.

"I agree", Padmé stated.

"Although we still do not know who is behind this sinister attempt on Padmé's life. Senator Soruna has not been in office that long. She has few enemies, or so we thought", Anakin stated, worrying that it was no longer safe for Padmé anymore.

"Indeed, it is most peculiar that someone would make such an attempt on your life", Obi-Wan commented.

"The Emperor is conscious that a failure to act will cause him to lose favour. He is very paranoid and has got Vader out on a wild goose chase looking for the assailant. He believes Senator Soruna is expendable, but also thinks she holds information on the alliance. I am concerned how much longer he will deem her valuable", Anakin stated matter-of-factly.

Padmé was slightly taken aback by her husbands' statement. They had not had the chance to discuss much of this yet, and so was just as surprised as Obi-Wan. "Well we must do all we can to ensure that Padmé is safe in the Senate. If the Emperor believes she is expendable, he will likely remove you from her protection, or worst still he may seek to act himself", Obi-Wan stated.

"I won't place Padmé in that position. I do not think it is safe for her to return to the Senate anymore. This is not the first attempt on her life in a matter of weeks, and soon enough the Emperor will believe that my time is more valuable elsewhere than her protection. But when he realises, she is of no value, he will not do it himself. He never has. He is incredibly careful about that. He has people to do it for him. That is what Vader was for", he reflected, being reminded of the reason he was manipulated and used by the Emperor.

"You know him better than anyone Anakin. It is important that we are kept apprised of his activities, and as the Senate is disbanded you will be our only link on the inside. It will be our job to rally support for the alliance where we don't have eyes on us", Obi-Wan said.

"Anakin was seriously hurt in the blast and has been ordered to take several days rest to recover. He cannot return to the Emperor straight away", Padmé commented, realising that Obi-Wan and Anakin was getting further into their plan.

"Padmé. I am the only link to the Emperor right now and he will no doubt want regular updates on my investigation. I will undoubtedly be called to see him soon, and I must go", he told her, knowing it was not something she wanted to hear.

"I will not sit here and let you get yourself hurt by going to that monster when you do not need to", Padmé stated.

Obi-Wan could hear that this was something that needed to be discussed between Padmé and Anakin and so replied, "Perhaps we should re-evaluate the situation in several days. For now, I will make contact with some members of the alliance and see what plans they have to maximise our plan forward in this situation. I will bring Luke and Leia back to say goodbye", he added.

Several seconds later the twins said, "Did you and Obi-Wan have grown-up things to talk about?", Luke asked.

"Yes, we did baby. And it is not for your little ears. But it doesn't matter anymore, because we love you so much and we will talk to you again very soon and we hope that then we can plan to come and meet you at daddy's house on Alderaan", Padmé told the twins. They giggled excitedly and said "Yay", in unison.

"Now you two be good for Obi-Wan and stay strong with the force and continue your training", Anakin told his children.

"And make sure you are doing your work from TC too okay", Padmé added, wanting the children to keep up with some schooling too.

"We promise", they replied.

"I love you both so much. I promise when this is over soon and we are together forever I am never going to let you go", Padmé told her children, tears springing to her eyes.

"I love you both too, May the force be with you", Anakin said.

"Goodbye and may the force be with you both as well", Obi-Wan replied, as the twins shouted their goodbye's down the comm, before the line ended.

Padmé could not help but exchange a look with her husband about the conversation they had begun on the comm.

"Padmé. I know you are not happy about this. But if I am requested by the Emperor, I must heed his commands", Anakin said, trying to make his wife see reason.

"I know Anakin. But you were pulled from a bacta tank only hours ago and were on a respirator. You need time for your body to recover and going to see that monster is just about the worst thing you could do", she told him, trying to make him see her point.

Anakin caressed his wife's face softly with his hand and replied, "I know Padmé. I do not relish in the idea of going to see the Emperor. But I have to do everything I can to keep you and the twins safe. I cannot let him think I am weak", he added.

"Anakin you are not at all weak. You are the strongest and bravest man I have ever known", Padmé told him passionately.

Anakin paused for a moment and then said, "I know I have the force as my ally, and I am strong with it. But I have one weakness that I cannot shake. The Emperor knows about it, he always has. It is the reason I fell to the dark side", Anakin reflected, his head looking down into his hands shamefully.

Padmé lifted his head up with her hand gently and looked into his eyes before saying, "Anakin, don't ever think that the love you have for me and the twins is a weakness. It has always been a strength. Your ability to love, your passion, your loyalty makes you who you are. If it were not so, you never would have come back to me. If you did not love me so, me being alive would have meant nothing to you, and we would never be here now", she told him with a smile.

Anakin looked into his wife's doe brown eyes, unable to stop the warm feeling inside him that she had given him. She had always had a way of making him feel better in the worst of times, and now more than ever he was so grateful for her support. "I love you so much Padmé", he told her, leaning in to kiss her lips softly. Padmé returned the kiss, wrapping her hands around her husbands' neck, as they lost themselves in the quiet moment they had together, forgetting all that was going on around them.

Their beautiful moment was interrupted when C3PO walked into his office, and said, "Ah Master there you are. I have been looking around the establishments for you, I …".

Anakin turned his chair around as Padmé stood up from her position on his lap, as Anakin interjected, "What is it Threepio?", frustrated that his time with his wife had been disrupted.

"I'm sorry Sir, but your comm has been ringing. Several trooper commanders have been trying to contact you", the golden droid reported.

Anakin banged his metal hand on the table roughly, as he stood up from his chair and began to walk out of the room. "I will be back. Threepio, make sure Padmé is looked after", he told the droid, before heading to contact his commanders.

"Are you alright Miss Padmé?", the droid asked Padmé, as she rubbed her temples.

"I'm alright Threepio. Just worried about Anakin", she commented sadly. She wondered what the troopers wanted him for and hoped it was nothing important enough to necessitate his departure. But Padmé doubted that Vader would be contacted for no reason. "I'm just going to go and sit down in the living room", Padmé told the droid as she left Anakin's office.

The droid nodded and then followed Padmé down towards the living quarters of the establishments, concerned that both his Master and Senator Amidala were under a considerable amount of stress.

"Is there anything I can do My Lady?", Threepio asked as Padmé sought comfort on one of the large couches in the living area.

"Could you get me some water please?", she asked quietly, hoping a drink would alleviate her numbing headache.

Anakin entered his chambers and reached for his comm, having donned his mask and suit in preparation for the call. "What is it, Commander?", Vader asked as the commander's holo image appeared.

"My Lord, we had not heard from you since shortly after the explosion. The Senate has been evacuated and temporarily disbanded under the Emperor's orders. But we are getting a lot of questions regarding the security of the Senate from the media and several concerned systems. The Emperor assigned us to your team responsible for investigating the attack on Senator Soruna My Lord, but we have not yet received any orders from yourself", he reported, trying his best not to test his commanders' patience.

Anakin was not surprised by his commanders' statement. He had stayed behind in the Senate as long as he could to ensure a complete evacuation was conducted. But he had been so apprehensive to return home to see if Padmé was alright that he had thought of little else. He had then underestimated the medical care his injuries had necessitated following the blast, and consequently had neglected to issue his troopers with any orders.

"Very well Commander. I want you to find someone who can liaise with the media on this matter. They need to be made aware that all is being done to protect the Senate and its constituents and that is why the Senate has been temporarily disbanded. We will not stand for any questions to our authority Commander, and I trust you will see to any issues that arise there. I am personally undertaking an investigation into the attempted assassination of the Senator, but it is complex, and the Emperor demands a quick solution to regain security and trust in the Empire. I want you to assign a squad of troopers to the task of engaging in investigations on Coruscant, interviews, interrogations, bounty hunters. Whatever it takes Commander", Vader instructed, hoping his orders would be enough to keep his troopers busy to buy him much needed time.

The Commander bowed and said, "It will be done My Lord. Shall I inform the Emperor?", he asked.

Vader paused before saying, "No. I will inform him".

"Yes, Lord Vader", the trooper replied, before Anakin cut the transmission.

Anakin frustratedly took off his mask and ran a hand through his hair. He knew in times of such uncertainty; many would call on Vader for his commands. But he was not ready to give any commands. He felt the conflict flow through him, as he was torn between his need to continue serving the Emperor and find out who tried to kill his wife, but also abandon his service to the Empire and join the Rebellion so that one day he could leave in peace with his family. He looked at the long list of missed calls he had on his comm and sighed heavily, knowing that returning them was going to take a significant amount of time. Before he lost all motivation to do so, Anakin put on his helmet again, as the sound of his mechanical breathing filled the air, and he input the frequency of the first call he had missed.

"Thank you Threepio", Padmé stated, as the droid placed a tray down with a jug and glass of water down on the table next to her.

"You are most welcome Miss Padmé", he replied. He paused for a moment before saying, "I am uncertain how long Master Skywalker will be in his meetings My Lady. He had received a rather high volume of calls to his comm, and I am sure he will need to reply to most of them", the droid informed her.

Padmé sighed upon hearing the droid's statement and said, "I'm worried about him Threepio. I fear he wont ever be free of his ties to the dark side whilst he is still having to act as Vader all the time".

The droid remained standing next to the Senator, remembering all those times during the clone wars that he would attempt to calm her nerves whilst Master Skywalker was away fighting. Despite how much had changed during that time, the situation he was presented with was remarkably similar. "I know this is a stressful time My Lady. But I am conscious that you sustained several injuries in the accident too, and you appear to be presenting symptoms consistent with a headache", the droid said, concerned for his Mistress.

"I'm okay Threepio, honestly. I am just a little tired after all that has happened. Some rest will do me good", she told the droid, her mind once again drifting to her husband, worrying about his continuing role as the Dark Lord.

"Would you like me to make you something to eat My Lady?", the droid asked.

"No thank you", Padmé replied, unable to contemplate stomaching any food currently. "I think I might retire to get some rest. I think it would be wise to sleep off this headache", she informed the droid as she moved to stand up slowly from the chair.

"If you are sure Miss Padmé", he responded. "I will inform Master Anakin once he concludes his duties".

"Thank you", she said to the droid with a weak smile. She struggled to walk straight up the long corridor towards her bedchambers. Once she arrived back in her chambers she fell onto her bed, the feeling of pain intensifying in her head. She closed her eyes and hoped that she could sleep it off in the next few hours. As the time past, Padmé was not granted relief from the searing pain her headache was causing her. She had not felt pain this intense even immediately after the explosion. She could feel the pressure building inside her head, like a tight band around her forehead, as the ringing in her ears got increasing louder. Knowing she needed to seek help, Padmé rose from her bed slowly and moved to exit her chambers and head to the medical bay. She found herself becoming very disorientated, as the corridors around her began to spin, and the dim lights started to blind her. Desperately, she continued to slowly walk down the corridor, but before she could reach her destination, the burn inside her head became unbearable, as she saw her vision blacken completely, and her weakened body collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

After being engaged in continuous meetings for several hours, Anakin was grateful to emerge from his chambers. He had been overwhelmed by the number of calls he had just made, but he was content that he had distributed sufficient orders to keep his troopers busy, liaising with the media, senators and starting to undertake an investigation into Padmé's assassination. All that remained for him to do was contact the Emperor, but he did not revel in that idea, so decided he would delay that for as long as possible. Once he had removed his mask and suit, he retreated to the kitchen and living area to go and find Padmé. As he entered the kitchen, he was greeted by C3PO, but did not see his wife.

"Ahh Master Anakin, I trust your calls were productive", the droid stated.

"They were necessary", he replied, not wanting to talk about his duties. "Where is Padmé?", he asked, looking over into the living area and realising she was not there.

"Miss Padmé retired to her bedchambers quite some time ago Master. It appears she has been suffering from a headache Master. She hoped that getting some sleep would help her feel better", he informed his master. The droid had hardly finished speaking before Anakin vacated the room and was headed towards Padmé's chambers, concerned about her reported headache.

He entered her chambers quietly, so he did not wake her if she was asleep. But as he walked in, he was distressed to see she was not there, and could not feel her force signature in the room. Concern quickly grew within him, as he turned to leave the room and ran back towards the kitchen.

"Threepio, Padmé is not in her bedchambers. I need you to help me find her now. Commence your search downstairs and inform me immediately if you find her", he ordered. Anakin then turned back and ran towards the garden room, where he knew Padmé had often found comfort. When he arrived, he typed the code in and then pushed the door open forcibly. When he realised his wife was also not here, he closed his eyes and concentrated on her force signature. As he vacated the meadow room, the force took him down one of the many long corridors of his establishments. He ran quickly down the corridor before he could see a figure lying on the floor in front of him.

"Padmé!", Anakin shouted to his wife as he approached her. He crouched down and picked her unconscious body up in his strong arms, ignoring the slight pain he felt as he did so. Padmé did not respond to his desperate calls out to her, as he carried her to the medical bay. When he entered the bay, he placed his wife on the bed gently, brushing the few stray hairs from her face as the droid approached them.

"What has happened?", the medical droid asked.

"I'm not sure. I found her unconscious in the corridor. C3PO has informed me she had been complaining of a headache for most of the day. She too was involved in the explosion at the Senate", he reported, not taking his eyes off his wife.

"How close was she to the blast?", the droid asked, moving to inspect Padmé.

"She was close following detonation. But I got to her in time and I shielded her. She was taken to Coruscant Medical but was discharged yesterday. I don't understand what is wrong", he stated desperately.

The droid paused before saying, "We will conduct an examination of the Senator now to assess what is wrong. From what you have said, it is possible that she has experienced a delayed episode of head trauma. But I want to be certain. Please, Lord Vader, let us take care of the Senator, and we will keep you informed as soon as we have run some tests", the droid said, moving closer to the Senator as Anakin took a step back away from his wife.

"I do not care what it takes, you must help her. She is not just a Senator droid, she is my wife", he stated, not caring that the droid knew of Padmé's real identity.


	29. Chapter 29 - Meetings

"We will give her the best possible care, My Lord", the droid replied, as another droid approached him to help with the tests.

Anakin took several steps back from his wife as the droid's started conducting an initial diagnosis. Padmé was still unresponsive, and he could not help but scold himself for being so busy on calls that he had failed to notice her condition. I just hope I found her in time, he thought to himself as his heart ached from seeing his wife lying unconscious before him. He paced up and down the medical suite impatiently as the droid continued to attend to his wife. It took every ounce of his self-control to not allow his emotions to overwhelm him. He knew if he let his anger control him, he could easily destroy this facility, and that would risk Padmé's life, and he could not do that. Anakin was broken from his distractions as the medical droid said, "My Lord".

"What is it, what has happened to her?", he asked, approaching the bed again.

"It appears that she has experienced a delayed onset traumatic brain injury. It has caused her to experience concussion and it will have presented itself as an extremely strong headache. I fear that with that and combined with stress following your admittance to this facility not long ago that her body was overwhelmed", he reported.

"So, what can be done? Why was she discharged if she had experienced such an injury?", he asked curiously.

"Delayed onset head trauma is common following a casualty's involvement in an explosion. It is likely that the Senator did not present any symptoms consistent with any head trauma, and as I understand it, her other injuries had healed rapidly, hence her being permitted to be discharged", the droid explained.

"When will she be awake?", Anakin asked concerned.

"That we cannot say My Lord. The brain scan we have done shows lower than normal activity of all brain cortexes. I think what is going to be wise is to submit the Senator into a state of suspended animation, to allow her brain to properly recover. It is possible that if her brain awakes too fast, further damage may be caused, or she may not even regain consciousness at all. This is the best option for the Senator", he added.

"Suspended animation. You mean you're going to put her in a stasis chamber?", he asked, having heard about the process.

"Yes, My Lord. Following the injuries, you sustained several years ago we have had a chamber located here in case you ever required one. It is fully operational", the droid replied.

"How long will she be in there for?", he asked, gently running his gloved hand through her soft brown hair.

"I cannot say My Lord. Several days perhaps. Truthfully, it depends on the Senator's recovery. We will have 24-hour monitoring placed on her, but right now we have to let her body recover from the trauma it has experienced".

Anakin could feel every fibre in his being burn, hating to see his wife like this. He would give anything to swap with her right now, just to know that his angel was unharmed. But he knew there was nothing he could do other than trust the doctors. He sighed heavily before replying, "Very well, do so immediately. I want hourly updates on her progress, and I want to know immediately if anything changes, no matter how small", he informed the droid.

"Yes, Lord Vader", the droid replied, before signalling for two other droids to set up the chamber.

All Anakin wanted to do was stay by his wife's side. But he knew that right now, as much as it pained him, that staying there would not do anything to change Padmé's status. He ran a hand through his hair as he turned and left the medical facility.

When he entered the kitchen, he found C3PO who asked him, "Ahh Master Anakin, I have been unable to locate Miss Padmé, I …".

"There is no need, I found her Threepio", he replied sombrely.

"Where is she Master?", the droid asked curiously.

"She is in the medical bay. I found her collapsed in the corridor heading towards the medical wing. She must have attempted to go there whilst I was in meetings. She had suffered from a traumatic brain injury, brought on after her discharge. She is being placed in suspended animation", he added, the words hurting as they left him.

"I am sorry Master Anakin. I should have insisted that Miss Padmé visit the medical wing as soon as she first presented symptoms", the droid responded remorsefully.

"No, Threepio. Do not be sorry. This is my fault. All my fault", Anakin stated.

"I am certain that Miss Padmé will recover swiftly Master. She is an extraordinarily strong young woman and is under the very best care in your facility", the droid added, trying to inspire some positivity.

"I have asked the medical droid to give me hourly updates on her progress and to inform me immediately if anything changes. I am concerned that I may be called into a session with the Emperor. I am asking you Threepio to be there with her when I cannot be", he asked the droid, hating the thought of leaving Padmé here alone.

"Of course, Master. I will do all I can for Miss Padmé", he replied. "Do you know when you will be requested by the Emperor", he asked.

"I am not sure. But I have not had contact with him since immediately after the explosion. I have spoken to all my squad commanders and assigned them an array of tasks. But I do not know when the Emperor will demand an update on my progress", he replied.

"Might I make a suggestion Master", the droid asked.

"Yes", Anakin stated.

"I am aware you are most conscious to remain here with Miss Padmé. But it appears that she will be in stasis for at least the next two days. Perhaps if you were to go and see the Emperor of your own volition, then you would be able to appease him and return in time to see Miss Padmé", the droid said.

Anakin paused for a moment, thinking on what the protocol droid had just suggested. If he were to go and see the Emperor, he could get information from his troopers regarding the status of the investigation, as well as highlighting the next steps he was taking with liaising with the media and some senators. It would buy him enough time whereby he could be here with Padmé. "That could work", he replied simply. "I need to go and contact my commanding officers who are in charge of the investigation. It would be prudent that I do not interrupt the Emperor without some information to report to him", he added, knowing his master would not stand for his time to be wasted.

"Of course, Master Anakin", the droid replied. Anakin turned and departed the kitchen, knowing he needed to retrieve his mask and suit, before making any calls.

As he put on the mask of Darth Vader, he decided that he would depart immediately for the Senate, so that he could meet with his commanders in person, before meeting the Emperor. As he walked towards his hangar bay, he felt his mind shift to become the Dark Lord, Vader.

When his shuttle landed at the Senate, he was greeted by one of his commanders who said, "My Lord, we were not anticipating your arrival here at the Senate".

"I have come for a report on what information you have established so far in the investigation, and I wish to report it to the Emperor myself", Vader stated, as he strode out of the hangar bay, the trooper next to him having to increase his pace and gait to keep up with him.

"I am afraid we have been unable to ascertain anything concrete My Lord", his commander reported. "We know that the assassin died instantly in the attack, but we need more time to determine whether the assassin acted alone or on behalf of another individual or organisation", he continued.

"Do you have an ID for the assassin?", Vader asked.

"Yes, Sir. His name was Zed Dunn. Little is known about him. We believe he is an underling from here on Coruscant", the trooper stated.

Anakin paused for a moment before saying, "This man did not work alone. Senator Soruna was a key benefactor for an increase in state benefits for the underworlds. He was acting on the orders of someone higher", he deduced. Anakin knew that this had been a calculated attempt on Padmé's life. This man from the streets of Coruscant had simply been picked to pull the trigger because he was disposable.

"We are looking into it, Sir", the trooper responded.

"I want you to make immediate contact with several bounty hunters who may have been responsible for the attack. I want Fett, Wessel, Deathstick and any others of significance. If a hit were ordered on the Senator, one of them would have known about it. Get it done trooper, I want to meet with them as soon as possible", Vader ordered.

"Yes Sir, right away. Any other orders Sir?", he asked.

"No. I am going to report to the Emperor. I want to know as soon as those bounty hunter scum are here", he stated dispassionately.

"Of course, My Lord", the trooper stated, saluting to his commander before turning and departing.

The Emperor remained sitting in this large chair at his desk, as a tall and gaunt man walked towards him slowly. "You requested my presence My Lord", the man stated, stopping at the bottom of the steps that ascended to the Emperor's desk.

"Yes, I did", he stated simply. "The mission failed", he continued, "Your man was supposed to terminate the Senator while she was on her own, not blow up the entire lower grounds of the Senate", he added bitterly.

"My Lord, I apologise. But with the Senator under protection we did not see any opportunities for such a strike. The assassin was ordered to do what was necessary to eliminate the Senator", the man replied, trying to contain the anxiety in his voice.

"This incident has ruined my future plans for the Senate. No one feels safe here, and I have had to temporarily disband the Senate, until people are confident a full investigation has been undertaken", the Emperor spat angrily. "Not only that, but your man nearly killed my apprentice Vader in the process, and the Senator is still alive", he added.

"I am sorry My Lord. We did not anticipate that Lord Vader would return in time to get to the Senator. When you informed us that he had been sent off-world, she remained protected by troopers, so we had to formulate a plan to isolate her", the man pleaded.

"It matters not now. I have had to develop a new plan. My apprentice has been assigned to investigate the attack, and I see no reason why he will ever discover the origin of the request", the Emperor stated.

"Of course, not My Lord. I would never tell, I will take it to my grave", the man stated desperately.

"Indeed, you will", the Emperor replied, as he saw his guard approach the man from behind and killed him with one strike of his vibroblade.

Anakin walked towards the Emperor's senate chambers, apprehensive to get this meeting over with so he could return to Padmé. He knew his master would not be pleased that he had come unannounced, but he hoped that he would be able to offset the inconvenience with enough information and promise of an investigation to keep his anger at bay. When he arrived at his chambers, he was as usual greeted by a red guard who said, "Lord Vader, we were not expecting you here today. The Emperor is in a meeting".

"Tell the Emperor I am here", Vader ordered. He noted that only one guard was on the door, as the guard turned and entered his office, closing the large doors behind him.

"My Lord, Darth Vader is here to see you", the guard reported.

"This is unexpected", the Emperor stated. "Dispose of that", the ordered one guard as he glanced at the body of the man before him.

"Yes, My Lord", the guard stated as he picked up the body and departed out the back door of the Emperor's office.

"Tell Lord Vader to come in", he instructed. The guard returned to his post outside the office and opened the door for Vader who walked down the long pathway towards the bottom of the steps to greet his master.

"My Master", Vader said, as he knelt on one knee in front of his master.

"Lord Vader. Your visit is unexpected. I trust everything is going as I instructed", the Emperor stated, as he remained sitting in his chair.

"Yes, My Master. I just wanted to keep you appraised of all that is happening", he replied.

"Indeed. Please, tell me", the Emperor stated simply.

"We have a positive identification for the assassin. He was an underling from the planet. But I have reason to believe he was not the one responsible for orchestrating the attack on the Senator. I have instructed my commander to assemble several bounty hunters who may have been made aware of the target on the Senator, to facilitate my investigation", Vader reported.

"Interesting. So, you do not believe this man was working alone?", the Emperor asked.

"No. I believe that the individual or group responsible were aware that I was off world, and utilised the opportunity to strike", Vader stated.

"Indeed, the Senator is most fortunate that you are so committed in your efforts to protect her, my young apprentice", the Emperor replied slyly.

"I was simply performing my duty that you assigned to me my master", Vader replied.

"And in doing so, I was made aware you sustained some severe injuries my friend", Sidious retorted.

"Yes, Master. But I have received medical treatment", Vader responded, not wanting to appear at all weak in front of his master.

"Well, it appears that you were willing to go to extreme lengths to save the Senator from Naboo, Vader. Perhaps it was too much for you to fail again in protecting the Senator from Naboo, after what happened to Padmé", he stated bitterly.

"No, my master. I simply performed the task you assigned me which was to protect the Senator", Vader replied, trying his hardest to compose himself and maintain a neutral tone.

"Do not lie to me Vader", the Emperor accused, standing from his chair, and approaching his apprentice.

"Don't think I do not know that she reminds you of the old Senator from Naboo. That your real desire to save her stemmed from your past failures", her retorted.

Vader immediately fell to his knees as he felt his master penetrate his mind. "I can see it in your mind Vader. I can see you are still thinking of her. After all this time you still cannot stop yourself from thinking about that woman. That woman who lied to you and betrayed you. After all this time that woman is still your weakness", he spat. "Do you not remember that you killed her Vader? You stood there and strangled the life out of her while she carried a child", he stated evilly.

He entered his apprentices mind and burned his mind with images of Mustafar, knowing how they would torture him. Anakin remained kneeling on the floor desperately trying to block the torturous images from his mind, but his attempts were feeble against the onslaught from his master. "She has always been your weakness Vader. She will always be the reason you cannot achieve ultimate power. She was just a pretty piece of flesh. You may have been a fool for it at the time, but she is dead. Never forget that my apprentice", the Emperor stated. Once he had finished speaking, he ended his assault on Vader's mind and returned to his chair.

"Continue your investigation Vader. I want to be kept appraised on your progress. I am unsure when the Senate will be able to reconvene, but I want it to be as soon as possible. I have already had to push back my plans. I know the governors are worried this will impact the development of the Death Star. I want you to ensure it does not. I have ordered my aid to work alongside some of your troopers to liaise with the media, because we know how bad your politics is Vader, I don't want you dealing with that", the Emperor ordered.

Vader stood from his knees and replied, "Yes Master".

"Now leave, my servant", Sidious commanded, waving him away with his hand.

Vader nodded subtly before turning and leaving the Emperors Senate chambers, the vivid images burning his mind incessantly. Once he was out of sight down a long dark corridor, Anakin fell to his knees, overwhelmed by the images he had just seen. He took a minute to calm his soaring emotions, as he realised that despite the torture he had endured he had appeased his master in meeting him and would now be able to continue the investigation but be with Padmé. He rose to his feet and walked down the corridor, back towards the main Senate offices.

"Lord Vader", one of his troopers said, approaching him quickly.

"Yes, trooper", Vader replied, showing no sign of weakness following his encounter with his master.

"We contacted several bounty hunters and we are fortunate that several were already here on Coruscant and have agreed to meet with you. We have placed them in Meeting Room 1, Sir", he informed his commander.

"I shall meet with them now and see what these bounty hunter scum know", Vader replied, as he walked with the trooper towards the meeting room. As Vader walked into the room, he felt the tone immediately change, as all conversations ceased, and they turned to face the mighty Sith Lord.

"You requested our presence Lord Vader", the bounty hunter Bane stated as the Dark Lord stood tall in front of the bounty hunters and folded his arms over his chest.

"I want to know if any of you were made aware of a bounty placed on Senator Soruna of Naboo", Vader replied simply, not wanting to waste his words on the hunters. He never understood why these beings could not pick a side and had little respect for anyone who had no loyalties and simply worked for money. But right now, he needed their help to establish who had tried to kill Padmé.

"I was not aware of any such target request Lord Vader", Wessel replied.

"Neither was I", Bane stated simply, knowing that any attempts to lie to Darth Vader were useless anyway.

"Fett", Vader said, looking to the Mandalorian bounty hunter.

"The first I heard of the Senator was when we were made aware of an attack at the Senate. I never heard of any Senator being a hit", he reported.

"Leave us", Vader asked, looking to the other hunters, as they and his troopers exited the room, leaving just Vader and Fett.

"I have been made aware that the assassin was an underling from Coruscant. I have no reason to think such a being masterminded a plot that nearly succeeded in killing the Senator and myself", he told Fett, hoping to extract some insight from him.

"If the assassin was merely an underling then it was probably because the person pulling the strings who called the order wanted to remain unknown. Us bounty hunters, we do not care if someone knows we did it. We simply work for the highest bidder, we have no loyalties", he stated.

"I have reason to believe that the individual behind this did want to remain anonymous", Vader told Fett. "It is only a matter of time before I discover who", he continued. "If you hear anything Fett, any information that proves fruitful will be rewarded", Vader told him.

"Yes, Lord Vader", Fett replied and nodded, before he exited the room.

Vader exited the room and once again joined his Commander outside, wanting to delineate his plan to him. "Commander, I will be in contact regarding the ongoing investigation. I trust you will continue to follow your own leads as am I through a variety of channels. I do not care how, but we must apprehend and eliminate the responsible individual so we can restore peace and security to the Senate. The Emperor had engaged an aid to liaise with the media, so that is no longer your concern. Our focus is this investigation and I must continue to communicate with the governors to ensure that work for the death star remains on schedule".

"Yes, Lord Vader. I will be in contact with any information I gather. Otherwise, we will wait on your orders Sir", the trooper stated.


	30. Chapter 30 - Apologies

**AUTHORS NOTE: I just want to thank everyone who has continued to read my story and is following on this journey with me. Please continue to read and review, any feedback means a lot to me. I will try to continue updating regularly - BetaBear**

Vader said nothing else before he turned and departed for the hangar bay, wanting desperately to be away from his master and with his beloved wife. He found it difficult to focus as he flew his ship through the coruscant skyways, before he landed in his hangar bay late into the night. Anakin wasted no time, as he headed straight for the medical wing in his establishments. He could feel the soft presence of wife through the force, acting like a beacon guiding him to her. When he entered the room, he paused as he saw the chamber in front of him. His heart ached as he slowly approached the glass pod and saw the lifeless face of Padmé through the glass. Anakin was so focused on his wife that he didn't notice the medical droid approaching him until he spoke.

"The Senator is responding well to the suspended animation. We are monitoring her brain waves and they are regulating themselves and returning to normal", the droid informed him.

"Do you know when she will be able to be brought out of stasis?", Anakin asked, not talking his eyes off his wife, wishing more than anything that he could feel the softness of her skin.

"I am afraid we cannot say for certain currently My Lord. We are optimistic of her progress, but we do not want to risk pulling her out early before her brain has had the chance to recover fully from the trauma", the droid replied.

"I understand", Anakin replied simply.

The medical droid left, seeing that Lord Vader clearly needed some space and that nothing he had to say was going to bring the man any relief. Several moments later, C3PO entered the medical bay, having been made aware of his master's late return to the establishments.

"Master Anakin. I am happy to see you have returned. I trust your meeting with the Emperor was satisfactory", he asked.

"It will appease him for now", Anakin replied as he turned slightly to look at the droid.

"Master. I am concerned you have had very little sleep. You too sustained significant injuries not many days ago. You look tired and distressed my Master. I think you should try and get some rest and return to Miss Padmé in the morning", he told his master, seeing his sunken and dark eyes. His master looked exhausted and pained. He was uncertain what had transpired between him and the Emperor, but he fathomed that it had done nothing to ease the pain of seeing his wife in her current state.

"Inform me if anything changes", Anakin ordered the medical droid and C3PO, as he walked slowly towards the door. "I love you, my angel", Anakin confessed softly, looking back at his wife. As he staggered back to his bedchambers, he still felt the searing pain in his mind as the visions his master had burned into his brain continued to torture him. The Emperor knew exactly how to make his apprentice subservient. He had inflicted all forms of physical pain and torture on him, but nothing ever worked like the way visions of Padmé did. She was his biggest weaknesses and the Emperor knew that what Anakin had done to her on Mustafar and his believed responsibility for her death caused him so much pain. Despite all he had suffered, he wouldn't change any of it because Padmé had come back to him, and all he wanted was for her to be stood again by his side happy and healthy. Anakin stripped of his clothes and got into bed in what would be a feeble attempt to sleep.

"_Love won't save you, Padmé. Only my new powers can do that", Anakin told her._

_"At what cost? You are a good person. Don't do this", Padmé asked._

_"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother! I've become more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of and I've done it for you. To protect you.", Anakin tried to explain._

_"Come away with me. Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can", she pleaded desperately._

_"Don't you see, we don't have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him, and together you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be.", Anakin told her._

_"I don't believe what I'm hearing . . . Obi-Wan was right. You've changed", she realised sadly, taking a step back from her husband._

_"I don't want to hear any more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me", Anakin shouted._

_"I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart. I'll never stop loving you, but you are going down a path I can't follow", Padmé cried._

_"Because of Obi-Wan?", Anakin asked, glancing up to the see his old master stood on the ramp of the ship._

_"Because of what you've done . . . what you plan to do. Stop, stop now. Come back! I love you", Padmé begged her husband, feeling him slip away with every word._

_"Liar!", Anakin shouted, seeing Obi-Wan disembark the ship._

_"No!", Padmé said in disbelief._

_"You're with him. You've betrayed me! You brought him here to kill me!", Anakin shouted furiously._

_"NO! Anakin. I swear ... I ...", Padmé implored, feeling an invisible grip tightening around her throat. As she started to choke, she grabbed her throat, desperately trying to ease the constriction._

_"Let her go Anakin", Obi-Wan shouted._

At that moment Anakin jerked awake from his nightmare and found he was bathing in his own sweat. It was not just how horrible the nightmare was, but how vivid. It was how he saw every detail of what happened that day on Mustafar. He saw the pain in Padmé's eyes as she begged him to come away with her and raise their child on Naboo. He saw how her heart broke right in front of him as she saw the monster that he had become. And then worst of all, he had seen how he had raised his hand to her and choked his her, as she desperately tried to free herself of his hold around her neck. He ran a hand through his sweaty locks as he entered his fresher and splashed his face to cool off. As he lifted his head to face himself in the mirror, he caught a glance of the large scar on his back that read his wife's name. It was another painful reminder of what he had done, and it was something that no matter what he said and did he could never take back or atone for. Realising it was pointless to try and sleep Anakin put on a cloak and went down to the medical bay to see Padmé.

As he entered the room, he noticed all the lights had been dimmed, with only one soft light casting over his wife's chamber. As he approached her, he was unable to contain his emotions as he fell to his knees and tears streamed down his face.

"My love, please forgive me for all I have done. I know this apology can never cover the magnitude of sins I have committed and all the suffering that I have caused you, but I have to say it, nonetheless. For eight years I lived as a shell of a man, hollow and empty in servitude to that monster believing I had destroyed all that I ever loved and cared about in this galaxy. And then you come back to me, and not only that but you still love me and have given me two beautiful children. But despite knowing now that I did not kill you on that platform on Mustafar it does not change what I did. It crushes me when I think of what I did to you that day, Padmé. I was so consumed by hatred and anger that I was able to hurt the thing I cared about most, more than anything in the galaxy. I was able to raise my hand to you, my wife, and it is something I will never ever forgive myself for. I am amazed that you can forgive the unforgivable. But know Padmé, that once you are back here with me, I will spend every minute of every day trying to earn that forgiveness", he stated desperately, his mind burning as he saw the image of himself standing in front of Padmé with his hand outstretched using the force to choke her and their unborn child.

"I am a monster", he continued, feeling the hatred for himself building as he remained on his knees in front of his wife's chamber. Anakin was not sure whether Padmé was able to hear him through the glass and because she was unconscious. But a part of him hoped that through their connection she was able to feel his presence and know the pain and remorse he felt for all he had done. "Please come back to me, my angel. I need you. Without you I am lost", he finished. He took several moments to compose himself before he stood slowly from his position on the floor and then moved to the guest chair that was situated in the corner of the suite. He decided that there he would stay until Padmé was brought out of stasis.

Exhaustion finally overwhelmed him as he fell asleep in the small chair in the corner of the room. Several hours passed before he was awoken by a medical droid conducting the routine check-ups on his wife. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and stood from the chair, his body aching from the awkward position he must have fallen asleep in. He approached the droid slowly, not wanting to disturb it as it attended to his wife. After several silent moments, the droid turned to Anakin and said,

"She appears to be recovering well My Lord. Her brain is at 90% optimal functionality. The Senator has responded well to the induced suspended animation", the droid reported.

"Do you know when she will be pulled from her stasis?", Anakin asked.

"I want to confer with the other medical droid. But I think that if we continue to monitor her and she continues to progress, it would be sensible to pull her from stasis tonight. We do not want her to be in suspended animation for an extended period. It is better for her brain, now it is recovered to function on its own", the droid informed Anakin.

"That is good news", Anakin replied, relieved to hear that Padmé was recovering and that he may be able to hold his angel's hand tonight. "I do not anticipate being called away from the establishments, so please inform me as soon as you plan on waking her. I want to be right by her side", he added passionately.

"Of course, Lord Vader", the droid said. "I have been asked to remind you that you have your health check-up today, following the accident. When would be most convenient for you to do so?", the droid asked.

"I am here now", Anakin stated. Truthfully, he had forgotten about his check-up. Since the accident, Anakin had thought of little other than Padmé. He hoped that if he were given the all-clear he could train to pass the time before Padmé was brought around from stasis.

"Please sit down over here Lord Vader and I will conduct the tests now", the droid told him. Anakin did as he was instructed and took a seat on the medical bed that was adjacent to his wife's stasis chamber. He sat in silence as the droid conducted several tests, including taking his blood pressure and testing his lung capacity.

"It appears all of your vitals are normal, and your lung capacity has not been affected following the punctured lung you sustained. Your lung capacity is at about 90% optimisation, which is remarkable considering the injuries you suffered several years ago. I trust you aren't experiencing any difficulty breathing", the droid asked.

"Nothing more than usual. When I overexert myself during training, I can find myself short of breath. But when I hyper oxygenate with my mask I am fully recovered in a short period. Am I able to train today?", Anakin asked.

"I recommend you limit your exertion for the next couple of days, to give your body a bit more time to recover following the accident", the droid responded.

"I will try to limit the strain. But it is important I maintain my training", Anakin stated.

"I understand Lord Vader", the droid replied.

Anakin put his shirt back on and got up off the medical bed and turned to leave the room. "Inform me if anything changes. I will return in several hours before you awaken her", he told the droid before leaving.

"Yes, My Lord", the droid responded.

Despite how exhausted he felt, Anakin knew he needed to get in the gymnasium and train. Every muscle in his body told him that he should not train for he was too tired. But he knew it was moments like this that could make the difference between winning and losing against Sidious. And losing was not an option, because that would mean losing his family as well, and he could never let that happen. He entered his chambers and quickly changed into some suitable attire before he changed his mind and collapsed onto his bed. He called his sabre to his hand and headed for the gymnasium, hoping it would help the time pass before he could see Padmé.

A couple of hours later Anakin emerged from the elevator that had brought him up from the gym. He ran his gloved hand through his sweaty hair, before heading to his chambers to shower. He had pushed himself physically hard as normal, but to comply with the doctor's orders he had practised more intently his mental strength and connection to the force. He had tried to feel the objects around him that he had set up and tried to predict their future movements. It reminded him of the exercise he had set his children to practice their connection to the force. It had overwhelmed Anakin how much he had found himself connecting to the light side of the force during his session. For the last eight years, the emotions of hatred and anger had fuelled his connection the dark side and aided his training. But he now felt himself being pulled further towards the light side, and he knew it was because of the love he bore for his children and Padmé, and the love they reciprocated to him. With them in his life he found his ties to the dark side being cut, and the hold that Sidious had over him was loosening exponentially. But Anakin knew he needed to buy his time. He needed to build his strength and wait for the right time before he could meet his maker and pay him in kindness for all he had done.

As he stepped into the warm shower, he felt his aching body relax under the soothing pressure from the water above. Despite going to the Senate to see the Emperor, it had done nothing to calm his nerves, and he was unsure when he would next be summoned by his master. He knew that the Emperor would demand a swift end to the investigation, so that his plans could continue once the Senate resumed. It pained him that he would be stolen away from his wife not long after she had awoken from her stasis. But he knew that he was doing this for their future together, and that of his family. He knew that his actions now would aid in his revenge on his master, and on the day when he would bring peace to the galaxy and balance to the force. Once Anakin got out of the shower, he decided he needed to try and eat something before returning to the medical bay. He was already exhausted and hugely sleep deprived and he did not want to cause Padmé any further stress by seeing how he had neglected himself. He headed to the kitchen and picked out a ration packet that he devoured, not realising how hungry he was, for he had been so consumed with thoughts of his wife.

As evening fell on Coruscant, Anakin took a moment to watch the busy skylanes from his kitchen window. There was something oddly soothing about the view outside. For a brief moment, Anakin did not feel as though he was drowning in the worries of his wife. He was simply a man looking out, watching the sunset on another day on Coruscant. As he watched the sun disappear beyond the skyline, he exhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. The medical droid had informed him that Padmé would be brought from the stasis chamber tonight, and now that the time finally came, he was so worried that something was going to happen. He could not face anything more happening to his beloved angel. He would have traded places with her in a heartbeat, and he wished more than anything that he could. I have caused her so much suffering, Anakin thought to himself, as Sidious' visions continued to play in his mind. He dismissed the visions as best he could and headed for the medical bay.

When Anakin entered the room, he saw both medical droids looking over Padmé's chamber, and noticed C3PO was stood in the corner of the room.

"Good evening Master. I trust you had a successful training session", C3PO asked him, noticing his arrival.

"It was sufficient", Anakin replied, distracted by thoughts of his wife. "What is her status?", Anakin asked the medical droid, who remained close to the stasis chamber.

"We have just completed our final tests on the Senator My Lord. We are happy that her body has had sufficient time in a period of suspended animation to recover from the trauma she experienced. We are going to release her from her state of animation slowly over the next couple of hours.", the droid replied.

Anakin exhaled deeply before saying, "That is good news".

"Once we remove her from the chamber, we will bring her around slowly, presenting her with a variety of stimuli to test her brain and neuron activation. She will benefit from you staying here and hearing your voice", the droid continued.

"Of course. I will not leave her side", Anakin replied.

"Despite having been in a period of suspended animation, the Senator will likely feel very fatigued. The stasis has given her brain the chance to recover, but consequently it will have neglected to further heal any physical wounds she sustained after the accident", the larger of the two medical droids stated.

"I am here to commit everything to her care", Anakin stated, knowing that it would be beneficial for both his wife and he to sleep, once he was confident, she was okay.

"Yes, My Lord", the droid responded.

"I am here to fetch Miss Padmé some food once she wakes up", Threepio chimed, seeing an opportunity to explain his presence.

"What should she eat?", Anakin asked one of the medical droids.

"Nothing too substantial. Something easily digestible, but high in protein", the droid answered.

"Threepio prepare her that meat broth you used to make for us during the clone wars, and some strawberries, they are her favourite", Anakin ordered the golden droid.

"Yes, Master", Threepio replied before departing the bay to start preparing the food.

Anakin turned his head back to Padmé, as he heard the hissing sound of the chamber door opening. The droid carefully controlled the hoist that lifted Padmé from the chamber and onto the medical bed next to it. Anakin moved next to his wife's unconscious body, as the droids set about putting her on a ventilator and adding an intravenous drip in her arm.

"This stimulant will bring her around slowly over the next hour or so. Her brain will gradually start to process more stimuli, starting with her hearing and touch, before she will be able to see and speak. She will be able to hear you Lord Vader, and soon she will be back as though she has awakened from a very deep sleep", the droid explained.

"Understood", Anakin replied, as he took a seat next to his wife's bed and picked up her hand and kissed it softly. "I missed you Angel", Anakin told his wife. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked as he studied the details of her face. He had always been enchanted by her chocolate brown curls, and her silky skin and her soft pink lips. Since Padmé had come back into his life, he felt as though he had taken for granted the simple pleasures of being able to kiss his wife and smell the sweet scent of her hair. But never again would he take for granted such pleasures, and he would spend every moment being eternally grateful for having his angel back in his life.

Anakin watched silently as the time passed slowly and he waited for her to awaken. He kissed her hand again and said, "I am here Padmé. I promise I will never leave you. Please, I just need to hear your voice again and tell you how much I love you. I want to tell you how much I miss the smell of your hair, and the sound of your laugh or the feel of your skin next to mine. I want to tell you how amazing a mother you are to Luke and Leia and how I will never be able to repay those gifts you have given me. I was a slave boy on Tatooine, and you were a Queen, and I was silly enough to believe I would marry you one day. But never could I have imagined that as a humble Jedi Knight you would give me the pleasure of marrying you. You know when we were on Alderaan, Obi-Wan commented on how strong our connection was, especially because you aren't force sensitive. And I told him that since I was a boy my connection to you had consumed me. He said he now understood how hard it must have been to keep it a secret, and how I went against the Jedi Code by forming such an attachment. And I told him that I would have gone against the Galaxy to marry you Padmé. I truly mean that. I have done a lot of bad things in my life, and I have so many regrets, but never have I ever regretted marrying you for a second. You love was such a gift to me Padmé, a gift I did not and do not deserve. But now more than ever, I want to be the man that you married at Lake Varykino, I want to be Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, and I want to return balance to the force and peace to the Galaxy, and I want to do it all for you Padmé", Anakin told his wife passionately.

He stood up from the chair where he sat next to Padmé and asked the medical droid, "Why isn't she awake yet? It has been longer than you anticipated.".

The droid approached him and looked at Padmé and said, "All of your wife's vitals are normal My Lord. She will be returning to a state of consciousness slowly, and it is difficult to accuracy predict exactly when she will awaken", the droid explained.

"Please, Angel. Wake up soon", Anakin stated, looking towards the sleeping form of his wife.


	31. Chapter 31 - Healing

Padmé had begun to hear the faint sound of her husband speaking several moments ago. For a while she was not sure if she was dreaming, but then she felt his warm lips on her hand and knew she couldn't be imagining it all. She felt herself becoming more aware of her state, as she listened to Anakin's beautiful words. Gradually she felt her senses come back to her, as her husband's touch became stronger and she felt the brightness of the lights shining through her eyelids. She gently fluttered her eyes open, having to close them quickly whilst her eyes adjusted to the light she had been deprived of for several days.

"Ani", Padmé said softly, as her eyes focused on Anakin's face, who was sat right next to her bed.

"Padmé. Angel. You came back to me", Anakin replied softly, caressing her face as warm tears sprang to his eyes. "I have been so worried", he told her.

"What happened to me?", Padmé asked, her memories proving to be hazy.

"Threepio told me you had been suffering from a headache. And whilst I was detained in meetings you had retired to your chambers to lie down. But you must have decided to go to the medical bay, but you collapsed on the way there. When I finished my meetings, I came to find you, and when you weren't in your room, I panicked. I searched the whole establishments and found you in the corridor near the medical bay. The droids said you suffered from delayed brain trauma following the explosion. That was why you were discharged from Coruscant Medical, because the symptoms don't present themselves immediately. They placed you in a stasis chamber in suspended animation for two days to help your brain heal itself. But Padmé I am so sorry. I neglected you, and because I was so busy in stupid meetings, I was not there for you. Had I been, this could have been avoided", Anakin commented guilty.

Padmé reached up and placed a finger on her husband's lip, "Shhh Anakin no, don't be silly. There was nothing you could have done. Neither of us knew this would happen. And now I am well, so please do not trouble yourself. You look exhausted, have you had no sleep?", Padmé asked, seeing the sunken look on her husband's face.

"I have been so worried Padmé; I was not able to sleep. I had to go and see the Emperor and keep him appraised of the investigation, so that I could be back here when you were woken up", Anakin replied.

"You are here now my love, that's what matters", Padmé told him with a smile.

"Ahh, Miss Padmé. It blesses my circuits to see you awake. I have bought the food for you that Master Anakin requested", the golden droid stated, as he brought the food into the suite on a large tray.

"My favourite stew, and strawberries", Padmé commented, "Thank you Threepio", Padmé said with a smile, before looking at her husband in thanks.

Padmé and Anakin sat together as Padmé ate the food that the golden droid had prepared for her. Anakin could not take his eyes off his wife, so grateful that she was well and eating. Padmé too was looking at Anakin and noticed that he looked very worn down. Dark shadows encircled his eyes and she could tell that there had been more to Anakin's meeting with the Emperor than he had let on. She planned to speak to Anakin about everything later, but despite feeling as though she had just woken from a deep sleep, she also felt very tired and fatigued. As Padmé finished her food, the medical droid approached the couple and conducted some final tests on Padmé.

"You appear to have responded well to the suspended animation, Senator. Your vitals and brain functionality are near optimal", the droid reported.

"I am most grateful for all of your help. I am sure that over the last few days, you have had more visits than you have during your entire time here", Padmé commented with a small smile.

"It has been our pleasure My Lady", the droid replied with a nod.

"When can I leave the medical bay?", Padmé asked. She did not intend to overexert herself but having spent a significant amount of time in her as both patient and guest, she was most apprehensive to depart.

"I am happy for you to depart now My Lady. I am sure Lord Vader and the C3PO will take good care of you. You will likely feel rather fatigued for the next day or so, so I suggest you perhaps retire and get some sleep soon, now you have eaten. As I did with Lord Vader, I ask that you return in 48 hours for a check up or if you experience any pain or headaches", the droid stated.

"I will keep a close eye on her", Anakin told the droid, looking to his wife.

"Thank you for your services", Padmé told the droid again, before she sat up and moved to stand from the medical bed. Anakin was right by her side and motioned to pick her up from the bed.

"I am alright, Ani. I can walk", Padmé told her husband. He reluctantly moved his arm down and when she was stood on the floor, he wrapped an arm around her waist to support her as she walked.

"Take it steady my love", Anakin said, moving slowly at her pace as they exited the medical bay.

"I am alright Anakin. It is good to be up and walking again. I have been lying down for the last several days. I know the doctor said to go and sleep, and I admit I am a little tired, but I just don't want to go and lie down straight away", Padmé replied.

"What do you want to do?", Anakin asked his wife as they walked down the hall together.

"A shower and some fresh air would be terrific", Padmé stated. "Being in that stasis chamber has made me feel a little claustrophobic", she told her husband.

"As you wish My Lady", Anakin replied, kissing his wife's hand softly. When they arrived at Padmé's bedchambers, Anakin took a step back as his wife took off her medical gown and placed it on the bed gently. She didn't say anything but turned around and looked at Anakin, her soft brown eyes calling for him to follow her. As he did so, he removed his own clothing and placed his lightsaber on the bed before entering the fresher. The room was already steaming as Padmé had started to run the hot shower. Anakin walked in carefully, finding his wife through the steam as the water cascaded down the pair.

"I'm so happy you have come back to me, Padmé", Anakin told his wife, as his human hand caressed her face.

"I am too", Padmé replied. She could see the toll that her condition had clearly taken on her husband. He looked physical and mentally exhausted. It was clear he had hardly slept, and he had mentioned he had gone to visit the Emperor. "What has happened while I've been in stasis Anakin? You said you met with the Emperor", Padmé asked her husband.

Anakin paused for a moment. He did not want to talk about the Emperor. He simply wanted to enjoy his time with Padmé without thinking about that evil man and what had transpired at their last meeting.

"I did. I informed him of the status of the investigation. We have a name for the assassin. But I do not think he was the one who ordered the attack, he was working for someone else, someone who wishes to remain anonymous. But I will find out who it was who tried to kill you Padmé", Anakin told his wife.

"I see", Padmé replied. "What did the Emperor have to say about it?", she asked.

"Not much. He remarked upon your fortune that I arrived in time, and how my desire to save Senator Soruna stemmed from my previous failures", Anakin told her, trying again to block the painful images from his mind.

"What did he say to you?", Padmé asked her husband. She brought a hand up to his face softly and she could see the pain in his eyes.

"Nothing", Anakin stated, covering her hand with his own.

"How long is it going to take for us to be honest with each other?", Padmé asked. She was reminded of a time when she had pleaded for Anakin to tell her the truth on their veranda at 500 Republica.

"He did what he usually does. He told me that Senator Soruna reminded me of you. He reminded me what I had done to you on Mustafar. He showed me what I did to you on that day Padmé. He will not ever let me forget it and I cannot either. Only last night I woke up from a vision of what happened on the platform. I cannot get it out of my mind, it hurts so much. You have suffered so much at my hand Padmé", Anakin confessed, his voice breaking towards the end.

Padmé did not have any words to respond, her heart breaking seeing her husband like this in front of her. She simply wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close into her. She knew that no words could console her husband right now, and that what he needed was to know that she was here with him and that she loved him. Padmé ran her hands through her husband's wet hair soothingly as he broke their embrace and looked into her doe brown eyes.

"Padmé I'm so sorry, for all that I have done", Anakin said simply.

"I know you are Anakin. And more than that I forgive you. You have started to rebuild your life as Anakin Skywalker. You have rejected the Emperor and the dark side and have welcomed me, and the twins love into your heart. You are rebuilding your relationship with Obi-Wan, and one day you will restore balance to the galaxy and bring peace. I cannot begin to imagine how much all that had happened must torment you. But I think perhaps it was always meant to happen. You had to go on this journey to come back to me and be the man you were born to be", Padmé told her husband passionately.

Anakin could not help but smile at his wife's statement, as she once again had not failed to amaze him. "Padmé you are truly the most incredible woman in the galaxy. I don't know what I ever did or ever can do to deserve you", he told her as he leaned in to kiss her

"Just love me Anakin. That is all I have ever wanted, is your love", Padmé told him after their kiss broke.

A while later the couple stood looking out from the bedroom balcony. It was getting late and both Anakin and Padmé knew that soon they would be most grateful to get some sleep.

"I want to go and see the twins Anakin", Padmé told her husband, as she leant against the balcony looking out into the cityscape. "After all that has happened, it has made me realise that the only things that are truly important to me are you and the twins. I need to see them", she added.

"I agree", Anakin replied. "The Senate has been disbanded and I am responsible for conducting the investigation into your attack. I see no better time to go than now", he commented.

"Let us go and contact Obi-Wan now. Can we meet them again at your estate on Alderaan?", Padmé asked.

"Yes, I think it is the safest location for all of us to meet. I imagine Geeta will be pleased to have some guests to entertain again", he replied.

Padmé moved to leave her chambers, but Anakin took her by the arm gently and asked, "Permit me to go and contact Obi-Wan and make the arrangements. I can tell how tired you are Padmé", he told his wife, still concerned that she was pulled from suspended animation only hours ago.

Padmé paused for a second and then replied, "Okay Anakin. Thank you. Please see if you can arrange for us to meet as soon as possible. I need to see our babies", she told him.

Anakin kissed her hand and replied, "Of course my love, I will see to it now. Please get into bed and try and get to sleep. I will come and join you shortly", he told her, bowing as he left the room. Padmé watched him leave before she walked over to the large bed and pulled back the soft sheets and got into bed. She felt a wave of tiredness wash over her as she closed her eyes and conceded to slumber. A while later, Padmé stirred when she felt the mattress sink next to her.

"Ani", Padmé whispered softly, opening her eyes a little to find her husband in the darkness.

"I'm here Angel", he told his wife, reaching out to her. "We are going to see Luke and Leia tomorrow. We will leave in the morning", he informed her as he pulled her close to his warm body.

"I am so excited Ani. We can be a family", Padmé stated softly, as she closed her eyes again and started to fall back to sleep.

"Sleep well, Angel", Anakin replied as he kissed his wife's shoulder softly and then closed his eyes as well.

The next morning, Anakin awoke before his wife and started to make preparations for their departure. He was unsure exactly how long they would be gone, but he knew that his estate had sufficient supplies for any length of stay. He had left Padmé sleeping and returned to his chambers to retrieve some items to pack and his suit and mask. As he walked back towards Padmé's bedchambers, he suddenly remembered that Padmé had been requested to return for a check-up with the medical droid. He scolded his forgetfulness, before an idea came to him.

Anakin entered the medical bay and searched for the medical droid. "Droid", Anakin stated, unsure where else it would be.

"My Lord, how may I serve you? I trust yourself and the Senator are recovering", the droid said as it emerged from a medical storage room.

"My wife and I are departing soon for Alderaan. It is a pleasure trip so she will not be engaging in any strenuous activities, but consequently, she will not be here for her check-up as you requested. However, I have a solution. As myself and my wife are gone, there is no one in these establishments for you to serve, so I ask that you come with us, so you are able to continue to monitor my wife's recovery", Anakin informed the droid.

"Indeed, My Lord, that is acceptable. What supplies do I need to bring?", the droid asked.

"My estate is equipped with a small medical bay. I had one constructed in all my establishments", he replied, remembering back to when he had first been injured on Mustafar and required regular medical intervention.

"Of course, My Lord. I am happy to come. When are you departing?", it enquired.

"Once my wife awakens. I estimate in the next hour or so", Anakin replied. He then turned and left to go and check on Padmé, wondering if she was awake yet.

When Anakin entered Padmé's chambers, he found that the bed was empty and had already been made. He smiled softly as he heard the shower running in the fresher adjacent to him. A little while later Padmé emerged, dressed in a pair of tan coloured trousers and a white fitted top. She had tied her hair up simply, but elegantly.

"Good morning Ani", Padmé said with a smile.

Anakin approached his wife and kissed her on the forehead before saying, "Good morning angel. Are you ready to leave soon?".

"Yes, I am nearly ready. I don't need to pack much, from what I gathered we have a lot that we need on Alderaan", Padmé replied.

"Yes, we do. With one exception. I have asked the medical droid to accompany us to Alderaan, so that he can monitor your recovery. I am conscious you will not be here for your check up as he requested, but I want to keep my oath to make sure you recover and take it steady Padmé", he told his wife.

"That is very thoughtful of you Anakin", Padmé stated as she kissed her husband softly on the mouth.

"Shall we go to the hangar bay?", he asked her.

"Yes, let's go. We have quite a long journey ahead of us", Padmé replied, as Anakin picked up her small case and walked with her towards the shuttle.

"Do you not need your mask and suit on?", Padmé asked, remembering they had a façade to maintain.

"Fortunately, not. The group of troopers that maintain my hangar bay have been relocated to assist with the senate furlough and the investigation", Anakin informed her.

"That is good. It will be good for you to be completely free of that suit for a few days. I have been worried about you Anakin", Padmé admitted, as they boarded the shuttle.

"I am fine my love. Please do not worry yourself. It will not help you recover any faster. I am here with you now, and we are going to see our beautiful children. That is what I want you to think about", he replied as they took their seats and entered the co-ordinates for his Alderaani estate.

"It will be so wonderful to see them. I have missed them so much Ani. After all that has happened recently, more than ever I want to be close to them. They bring the best out of both of us", Padmé replied.

"I couldn't agree more Padmé. Never have I been so happy and feel so at peace than when I am with you and our children. I feel like the luckiest man in the galaxy", he told her with a smile.

Their shuttle entered Alderaani hyperspace as Anakin directed their ship through the darkening skies and towards his estate. Despite the long flight, both Padmé and Anakin were eager to see their children. The shuttle entered the hangar bay and the couple disembarked quickly. As they walked down the shuttle ramp they were greeted by Geeta with a smile.

"My Lord, My Lady, it is so lovely to see you again", she said softly. "It is my pleasure to inform you that Master Kenobi and your children are already here. I have just finished helping them get their pyjamas on".

"Thank you Geeta", Padmé replied, as she and Anakin entered the property.

"Mummy, Daddy", the twins shouted as they stormed down the corridor to greet their parents. Anakin and Padmé stood with their arms open and picked one child up each.

"Hello my beautiful babies. I am so happy to see you. Mummy missed you so much", Padmé said, trying her best to contain her emotions.

"We missed you too mummy. And you daddy", Leia stated as she touched her father's face gently.

"I have missed you my little princess. And you my son", Anakin replied, looking from his daughter to his son happily.

"Mummy are these from the accident?", Luke asked curiously, as he hovered over the still visible burns and scratches that Padmé had on her face.

"Yes, they are Luke. But I am much better now. Your daddy has been taking great care of me", Padmé told her children reassuringly.

"And your mother has been looking after me as well. She is so caring", Anakin added, looking at his wife lovingly.

"Yeah, mummy is really good at looking after people. She always looks after me and Leia when we are sick", Luke told his father.

"And that is why we all love your mummy so much Luke", Anakin told his children.

"Right you two. We should get you to bed, because I bet you have had a long day and a long journey here and we don't want you to be tired when we want to spend all day together tomorrow", Padmé interjected, as she too felt tired from the journey and wanted to be able to spend all the time she could with her children in the coming days.

"Your mother is right", Anakin replied as he put Leia down and saw her take her mother's hand.

"Can we have a bedtime story mummy?", Luke asked.

"A quick one perhaps", Padmé replied.

"Can we have one of the stories you used to tell us about the space pilot and the princess?", Leia asked her mother.

"Okay", Padmé conceded, as she started walking with her children towards their bedchambers.

Anakin smiled as his family departed and decided to go and retrieve the bags from the shuttle. As he walked back down towards the hangar bay, he was greeted by his old master.

"A pleasure it is to see you again Anakin", Obi-Wan stated.

"Yes, it is great to see you again Obi-Wan. I feel as though so much has transpired since we last saw one another", Anakin replied.

"Story of our lives really. Always on the move. Always an adventure", the Master Jedi commented, as he proceeded to follow Anakin towards the hangar bay.

"Quite right you are", Anakin replied.

"You seem troubled Anakin", Obi-Wan commented.

"Do I?", Anakin asked simply.

"Yes, you do. Do you want to talk about it?", he asked.

"Truthfully, I am not sure where to begin", Anakin replied.

"At the beginning often helps", Obi-Wan responded wittily, glancing at Anakin with a smile.

"Very funny old man", Anakin stated. "I just wish it was that simple", he added.

"Speak your mind Anakin", his master encouraged him.

Anakin paused for a moment, trying to find the words to articulate how he was feeling. But he knew that in his own mind he was still confused by what he felt, and that was no succinct way to explain the torrid of emotions that were tormenting him.

"I know Padmé has forgiven me for all I have done, but no matter what I cannot escape the past. I am constantly reminded of that day on Mustafar and the Emperor tortures me with visions of it. On that day I believed that I had lost Padmé, that she had died at my hand. Now, since Padmé has come back into my life, everything is changing irrevocably, and I am struggling to keep up with the pace of that change. When I returned from Dantooine, I genuinely did not think I would get there in time and I thought I was going to lose Padmé all over again. There was such a big part of me that knew I could not go through that again. If I were to lose Padmé again, I do not know what I would do, because I cannot go back to being Darth Vader, he was more a machine than man, twisted by the evil of the Emperor. But I also know that as Anakin Skywalker I cannot live without Padmé either, because when I was faced with that prospect all those years ago, I was willing to give up anything in order to try and save her life", Anakin confessed.

Obi-Wan listened to his friend's confession in silence, truly overwhelmed by his response. He had never felt such feelings for another, and he knew he could never understand the torment that Anakin must have gone through when he feared losing Padmé the way he had lost his mother. But he knew that Anakin needed his help. He could see that these thoughts were eating him up inside, and it was likely he had chosen not to confide these thoughts in Padmé as to not worry her.

"Anakin, I know I can never understand the bond you and Padmé share. I know that the Jedi way teaches us to rejoice for those who die and become one with the force and to not mourn or miss them", Obi-Wan replied.

"Padmé is not a Jedi. She will never become one with the force", Anakin interjected.

"I know Anakin", Obi-Wan stated. "I think that is why you may benefit from some meditation, to help to clear your mind of some of your worries. You must open yourself up and begin to heal from the past and look to the future", he added.

"I remember once I was meditating with Master Yoda and I told him about my premonitions. I told him they were of pain and suffering and he told me to train myself to let go of everything I feared to lose", Anakin told Obi-Wan. "I think perhaps that was what sent me over the edge. Because at that moment I realised I would never be able to let go of Padmé, and that I would always fear losing someone I loved".

"I agree. You had always been a deeply emotional being with significant attachments. I was not naïve to your attachments to Padmé, your padawan and myself. I think it all stemmed from being with your mother until you were nine and then losing her so terribly", Obi-Wan deduced.

"I know that attachments were forbidden by Jedi. But truthfully Master, I believe that a life without attachments is no life at all", Anakin admitted.

Obi-Wan paused as him and Anakin entered the lounge area with the bags. "I have to agree Anakin. Despite my ruthless dedication to the Jedi order. I must confess that I myself broke that oath to the order. On the night of Order 66, myself and Master Yoda entered the temple and he went to face the Emperor and I was sent to find you. But I begged Master Yoda to send me to fight the Emperor because I proclaimed you were like my brother and I could not kill you. And I know what I did to you on Mustafar was barbaric and believe me when I say that day will never escape my memory either. But truthfully Anakin, I could not kill you, because I too had formed such an attachment", he admitted.

"I guess no one is perfect. Not even you Master", Anakin stated, smiling softly.

"How true indeed. But Anakin, do not be so harsh on yourself. You should not underestimate the good you have served in this galaxy, and what having attachments has done for you. Without such attachments you would have been lost to the dark side forever. Those three people up there are your reason for redemption, and it pleases me greatly to be on this journey with you, to support you, my brother", Obi-Wan expressed, as he reached a hand out to Anakin.

Anakin returned his gesture with a hug. He then stood and faced him and said, "Goodnight Master".

"Goodnight Anakin", Obi-Wan replied, as they both headed to their quarters.

Anakin reached the main quarters and could feel his wife's and children's presence inside Leia's room. He stood in the doorway and saw Padmé asleep, cradling the twins as they slept soundly. He admired the beautiful scene before him, reflecting on the words his master had just told him, and he realised how right he was that they truly were his saving grace from the dark side and that without them he would be nothing. He picked up Luke carefully and carried him to his bedchambers and kissed him goodnight. Once he was content his son was comfortable, he returned to his daughters room, and kissed her softly on the forehead. Careful as to not wake either of them, he then picked up his wife into his strong arms and carried her out of Leia's room and into their bedchambers.

As he walked with his wife in his arms, he could not help but admire the angelic beauty of her sleeping face. He knew how exhausted she must have been when they arrived, but he also knew how much she had wanted to see the twins. When they arrived at their chambers, he gently lay Padmé down on their bed, and she stirred awake.

"Sorry Angel. I did not mean to wake you", Anakin said as he kissed her softly on the lips.

"No, it's fine. Once I had finished the story, we must have all fallen asleep. The twins were so tired as well", Padmé told him.

"Did they enjoy the story?", Anakin asked, as he and his wife both got ready for bed.

"Yes. They have always loved my princess and the pilot stories", she commented with a smile.

"I see. It sounds similar to the Senator and the Jedi. Are there any parallels?", he asked jokingly.

"Some maybe. I have sought some inspiration", Padmé stated.

"Oh really. Such as?", Anakin asked curiously.

"Well, the pilot is the best in the galaxy. He is a brave and cunning warrior as well and helps to save all the planets from war and slavery", she told him.

"Ahh I see. I am guessing the princess is beautiful and strong and brave as well. That she does what is best for her people", Anakin asked.

"She does the best that she can", Padmé replied as they got into bed.

"But I am guessing it is useless for her to deny the feelings she has for the pilot. I mean who could not fall for such a brave and cunning pilot?", he asked.

"She puts her duties first. She tries her hardest to fight her feelings for him because she knows they both have a job to do. But the pilot is incredibly determined, and eventually he wears her down and she cannot fight anymore", Padmé teased as she rested her head on her husband's bare chest.

"Oh, I see. So, it wasn't her undying love for him, it was just that he wore her down hmm?", Anakin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Something like that", Padmé teased.

"It's a good job I love you Senator", Anakin stated as he kissed her head softly, and they both fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms.


	32. Chapter 32 - Gratitude

The next morning Anakin and Padmé were awoken by the twins barging into their room and jumping on the bed enthusiastically. "Morning Mummy, morning daddy", the twins shouted excitedly.

Padmé sat up in bed and smiled at her beautiful children as they beamed brightly at their mother. She turned to her husband who was still asleep and shook his shoulder gently.

"Ani wake up, we have company", Padmé said softly.

Anakin pushed himself up from his sleeping position and rubbed his eyes to wake himself up. "Morning you troublemakers. What time is it?", he asked.

"Its 8 o'clock dad", Luke replied.

"Excellent. Bright and early", Anakin stated, pushing his face back into the pillow.

"Oh Anakin", Padmé huffed. She then smiled and picked up the pillow next to her and hit her husband with it softly.

"Pillow fight", the twins shouted, as they too picked up a pillow and started hitting their father.

Anakin got up from his position and defended himself from his family's onslaught before saying, "Why am I always the one who is outnumbered?".

"Because you are the one who was asleep", Padmé replied, laughing as her children continued to playfight with their father.

"So, I am paying for my lack of discipline, I see", he retorted as he began to retaliate against his children and wife.

When he was distracted by his children, Padmé managed to land an effective blow to Anakin's face, which heavily amused the children.

"Yay we win, we win", the children shouted.

No sooner than when they had spoken Anakin picked both of his children up, carrying one in each arm and carried them out onto the balcony. He held them out in his strong arms, having them hover near the edge of the stone wall.

"Now who is winning", Anakin commented, his children's excitable giggles amusing him and his wife.

"Just be careful Ani", Padmé stated as she watched from the bed.

"Okay daddy let's say it is a tie", Leia conceded, as she and her brother remained upside down in her father's hold.

"Agreed", Anakin replied, before placing both his children down gently. "Now, how about you two go and see if Geeta needs any help with breakfast and we will be down to join you soon".

"Okay daddy", the twins replied as they left their parent's room and walked down towards the kitchen.

"My, my Anakin. To think you agreed to a tie. You really have changed", Padmé teased as her husband approached her on the bed.

"I was outnumbered and tactically disadvantaged", Anakin replied.

"I see. Although I think it was definitely fair to say I won against you", Padmé stated, biting her lip softly.

"Padmé you know it is never a fair fight when I am against you. I am so hopelessly distracted. You make me weak at the knees", Anakin told her with a cheeky smile as he leaned in to kiss her softly.

"Is that so. So, it has nothing to do with my formidable abilities as an opponent, my cunning wit and masterful fighting skills", Padmé asked.

"I cannot deny what a wonderful woman you are Padmé. You are a great fighter and an excellent shot, and no one would ever question your unmatched wit and intelligence. But my position is a unique one. I am certain that no other opponent I have ever faced, makes me feel the way you do", Anakin teased.

"And what feeling is that Master Skywalker?", she asked curiously.

"Crazy", Anakin responded simply, as he pulled Padmé up off the bed to stand in front of his tall frame. She placed a hand on his bare muscular chest as they shared a passionate kiss.

"Now come on Anakin. We said we would join the children downstairs for breakfast. We don't want to keep them waiting", Padmé stated, as she placed a robe over her silk nightgown.

"Until later then, Senator", Anakin replied, kissing Padmé's hand in a mock gesture of formality.

Breakfast that morning was full of excitement as the twins dominated the majority of conversations and the adults sat back listening to their stories.

"How long are you and daddy here for this time mummy?", Leia asked her mother.

"I am not sure sweetheart. The Senate is closed at the minute, so I do not need to go back. But your father still works for the Emperor and he has a lot to do, so I really do not know", Padmé told her children honestly.

"Are we going to be all together forever soon?", Luke asked.

"Yes, we are son. I promise you. When the Emperor is dead, we can live in peace together", Anakin promised.

"I think we should use this opportunity to rally support for the Alliance as we discussed before", Obi-Wan stated.

Geeta could see where the conversation was going and said, "Come on you two, why don't you help me pick some berries to put on the cake tonight". She took the children by the hands as the adults gave her a smile of thanks.

"I agree Obi-Wan. We need to use the time we have now, when not everyone in the Senate is being watched closely", Anakin added.

"I will contact Bail and Mon Mothma. It has been a while since I discussed such matters with them. We will need a plan. Since you came back to us Ani, I have been unsure what to tell the Alliance. I know Bail and Mon are aware of your true identity, but I do not want to risk revealing it to the Alliance, because if someone was to find out and inform the Emperor, I do not want to think what he would do to you", Padmé stated.

Anakin placed a hand on top of his wife's and rubbed it softly and said, "I will be fine Padmé. I think it is best if you contact the Alliance and get an update on the status of their plans for the future. Then maybe I can see how I can fit into all of this", Anakin added.

"Yes, I think that is a good idea. For now, it is wise to keep you out of the picture Anakin. We need to ensure the Emperor believes you are still unquestionably loyal to him", Obi-Wan highlighted.

"Whilst the children are with Geeta I am going to contact Bail to get an update on where the Alliance is at the present time", Padmé announced.

"Good idea. Anakin and I will clear up", Obi-Wan offered, as Padmé left to try and contact the Alliance.

Padmé stood in her bed chambers waiting for Bail to answer her comm link call. The last time she had seen Bail was in the hospital following the attack, and she felt as though she had fallen out of the loop with the Alliance. Her thoughts were broken when she heard her friend answer the call.

"Padmé. It is so nice to hear from you. I heard you had been discharged from Coruscant Medical, and I assumed you had returned to Vader's establishments", Bail stated.

"Yes, I have been receiving medical attention there", Padmé informed him. "I am sorry, I have not made contact since then, it has been quite a chaotic few days", she admitted, not wanting to waste time going into the details.

"I understand. I am just glad you are alright Padmé. I trust Anakin is alright following the accident?", he asked.

"He sustained some injuries, but he received medical treatment and he has recovered. He has been assigned the task of finding the assailant responsible for the attack", Padmé told him.

"That makes sense. The Emperor is paranoid, and I know he wants to regain control of the Senate by getting us all back. The disbanding of the Senate is something that may work in our favour", Bail pointed out.

"Yes, that is something that we agree on too. I have been consulting with Obi-Wan and I wanted to get in contact with you to establish what the status of the Alliance is in all of this", Padmé replied.

"We are rallying support, and I know Mothma and I are seeking the support from Senators and powerful beings on many planets. It is a delicate operation", he reminded her.

"I understand", Padmé responded. "These are trying times and I know how much we all want the Emperor dead and to restore peace and democracy to the Galaxy. But we must wait for the right time", she added.

"Padmé forgive me for asking, but is there nothing Anakin is able to do? He is second in command to the Empire. Surely there is something he is able to do to facilitate our position", Bail commented.

Padmé paused for a second. She was not surprised by her friends' comment. This was a most unique situation they found themselves in. It would be remiss to not consider the advantage that Anakin could provide the Alliance in his position, but Padmé also knew she would not do anything to endanger her husband.

"I have been considering this since Anakin came back into my life. The position he is in is very complicated. He has rejected the dark side and the Emperor, but he must continue to serve him and maintain his position as Vader. I know Anakin plans on killing the Emperor himself, and I am certain that with the help of Obi-Wan they will be able to defeat him. However, I am uncertain when Anakin plans to make such a move against the Emperor", Padmé told him.

"We are most fortunate that Anakin has rejected his ways as Vader. I have no doubt it will prove to be instrumental in our defeat of the Emperor and destruction of the Empire. But, as I am sure you will agree, we need to consider issues beyond the Emperor himself. There are many systems and governors, many of whom are extraordinarily rich, powerful and influential who support the Emperor. If we do not execute our plan effectively, we could plunge the galaxy into chaos", Bail stated.

"I want to speak to Anakin about this. He knows more about the mechanics of the Empire than anyone. If we can gain an intimate understanding of their networks and plans for the future, then we can develop a more effective plan moving forward", Padmé told him.

"That would be excellent for the Alliance Padmé. I want to thank you for this. I understand that this must not be easy for you, and I can know that Anakin's position right now must be placing you under a significant amount of stress. I have always had so much respect for the sacrifices you have made for your people Padmé. They go far beyond the oaths that we made as politicians", Bail said with a smile.

"Thank you Bail. Words cannot express my gratitude for all the support you have given me since we have met. I want to do all I can to help peace be achieved. I understood the sacrifices that I would have to make as servant to my people. I am certain that they will all be worth it when I am able to live with my family in peace", she replied.

"I couldn't agree more. When would be acceptable for you and Anakin to meet with us?", Bail asked, returning to the topic at hand.

"We are actually on Alderaan at the moment. Anakin has an estate here and we have come to see the twins and Obi-Wan. If I send you our co-ordinates, perhaps you could come to us. That way we can guarantee the safe exchange of information, as well as keeping Anakin's identity a secret", Padmé responded.

"Yes, that is a very good idea. If you send me the co-ordinates I will come and see you, Anakin and Obi-Wan tomorrow", Bail stated.

"Excellent. We shall expect you tomorrow then", Padmé replied.

"Agreed", Bail said, before his holo image faded.

Padmé entered the kitchen and found Anakin there putting away several dishes, using the force to guide them to various cupboards. She smiled, reminiscing of a time when he would do that in her apartment, often scaring her by nearly dropping them just inches from the floor.

"Some things never change", Padmé commented, as she walked towards her husband with a smile.

Anakin turned to face his wife but did not lose his concentration as he put the final lot of plates away. "I prefer to think of it as efficient use of my abilities".

"Is that so?", Padmé asked, getting closer to her husband.

"Absolutely. I am a man of many talents you know", he replied with a cheeky grin.

"Indeed", Padmé stated.

"How was your talk with the Alliance?", Anakin asked, as they made their way into the living area, where Obi-Wan met them, wanting an update on the situation too.

"I spoke with Bail and he said that the Alliance are doing their best to rally support whilst people are not under the keen eye of the Empire. But these are still trying times and we need to act cautiously and deliberately. Bail was most curious about your position in all of this Anakin. I told him that your position as Vader right now is very delicate, and all must be done to continue to convince the Emperor that you are undeniably loyal to him. I said I would confer with both of you, but Bail is coming here tomorrow so we can discuss matters properly and securely, without the worry of any interruption. I also think it would be best to limit the number of individuals who are aware of your identity Ani", Padmé concluded.

"I agree. Anakin's position cannot be made public. It is a card we must play very close to our chest. I think it is good for Bail to come and meet us tomorrow and we can start to construct a plan for the future", Obi-Wan replied.

"I am happy to meet with Bail tomorrow. Padmé, you know I plan to kill the Emperor, but I know that is not all there is to it here. There are many powerful people in the Empire who support the Emperor, so we must work out how best to regain balance in the galaxy, and stop all the generals and grand moffs from assuming power when the Emperor is destroyed", Anakin added.

"I told Bail that you more than anyone Anakin has a very intimate understanding of how the Empire works. You will be the key to helping us end this war and restoring peace", Padmé told her husband, grabbing her arm softly.

"We shall prepare to meet Organa tomorrow and make a plan with him", Obi-Wan concluded, sensing the return of the children and Geeta.

"Mummy, daddy, look at all of the berries we have picked for the cake", Leia said as she ran into the lounge with a large basket.

"Wow, sweetheart that really is a lot of berries. I hope you both haven't eaten too many on the way", Padmé asked, wiping a drop of berry juice from her daughters chin.

"No, we were sensible. Geeta was watching us", Luke interjected.

"Good. Now how about we give Geeta some peace and we go and do something together", Padmé explained as she took her children's hands and lead them out of the lounge area.

"If it is alright with you, I am going to do some meditation and training", Obi-Wan said to Anakin as they both remained standing in the room together.

"Absolutely Master. Please know you may join us at any time. You are a part of this family", Anakin replied with a smile.

"Thank you, Anakin. I am most grateful to be a part of your beautiful family", Obi-Wan stated, before he turned and headed towards his guest quarters.

Anakin joined his family in the kitchen and asked, "So what would you two like to do today?".

"Can we do some more training with you father. What we did last time was so fun", Luke asked.

"Yes, of course. It is my pleasure and privilege to teach both of you. But your mother will have to sit out today, she is still recovering from the accident", Anakin replied, wanting to address the issue before Padmé got any ideas.

Padmé was going to contest, but she knew it would be negligent of her to ignore the med droids' orders, so conceded and said, "That is alright. I am happy to watch you all. Now let's go and get you into some sensible clothes", she added.

"I will set up the gymnasium and meet you there", Anakin replied as they went to go and get changed.

A little while later Anakin was greeted by his children in the gymnasium. They appeared in matching outfits, hardly containing their excitement of training with their father. Padmé took her position, standing behind the view screen, admiring her husband as he instructed his children on different defence and parry positions. The lesson went on for over an hour, as Anakin sought to develop his children's skill in the art of anticipation and blocking. He was amazed by his children's patience and determination, and he knew they would one day be incredible Jedi if they chose to be.

"I think that is enough for today. You both did incredibly well, I am so proud of you both. We can keep practicing, and you will both get stronger and more connected to the force.", Anakin told his children.

"Yes father", Luke said, looking up to his father in admiration.

"That was so fun daddy. You are such an amazing Jedi", Leia stated, also admiring her father.

"Now, how about we have something to eat then we can go down to the lake for a swim", Anakin asked his children.

"Yay", the twins replied.

"Go and find your bathing suits and I will come up to help you in a moment", Padmé instructed her children, as she picked up their saber's and jackets that they had discarded on the floor.

"I am guessing you have not yet taught them the rule of never leaving their lightsaber behind", Padmé asked her husband.

"No, I have not. Although it is on the list", Anakin replied.

"Well from memory, you were never the best at keeping hold of your lightsaber Master Skywalker", Padmé commented.

"I always had it when I needed it", Anakin countered.

"Like the time when you gave me your saber in the senate during the clone wars, and then we were taken hostage", Padmé reminded him jokingly.

"We got out, didn't we?", Anakin asked.

"Only because of my resourcefulness", Padmé stated.

"I was proving myself to you Padmé. I once told that my lightsaber was my life, and I wanted to prove how important you were to me, by giving it to you. I wanted to prove that I would give up my life for you my love", Anakin responded, caressing her face softly.

"You had nothing to prove Ani. I knew how much you loved me", Padmé told him.

"I know, I just …", Anakin was stopped from finishing his sentence, when Luke and Leia entered the gymnasium in their costumes.

"Mum, you took forever. Come on let's go to the lake", Luke said.

"Okay, we are coming. Your father and I just need to put on swimsuits, Padmé replied.

The pair quickly got changed into suitable attire, before meeting their children to walk down to the lake. Geeta had kindly prepared them some sandwiches to take down to the lake to eat. As they lay sitting in the grass, Anakin could not help but look from his children to his wife and thank every star in the galaxy for them. Several months ago, he could never have imagined his life being like this. He was alone, evil, and distraught from memories of his wife and what had happened in the past. But now he had them in his life, he felt the light within each of them touching his heart, and he knew he was getting closer and closer towards becoming Anakin Skywalker entirely.

"Are you okay Ani?", Padmé asked her husband, noticing he looked parsecs away.

"Yes, my love. Everything is perfect", he replied, kissing her hand softly.

"Mummy, that ring on your hand is so pretty. Did daddy get that for you?", Leia asked.

"Yes, he did", Padmé stated, allowing her children a closer look at the beautiful piece of jewellery.

"It is so beautiful", Leia stated, in awe as it shimmered in the sunlight.

"Not as beautiful as your mother", Anakin added, looking at his wife in sheer admiration.

"I bet you couldn't wear a ring when you were keeping it a secret huh mum", Luke stated.

"You are right Luke. Your father and I had to be very careful in order to keep our marriage a secret. It was very hard", Padmé reflected.

"But it was worth it", Anakin interjected. "And now we never have to keep it a secret again. Your mother can wear her ring proudly and I can tell everyone I meet that I am married to the most beautiful, strong, incredible woman in the galaxy", he added.

Padmé kissed Anakin on the cheek softly as the children asked, "Can we go for a swim in the lake now?"

"Yes, you can. But stay close and do not do anything too hard you have just eaten. Me and your father will come in soon", Padmé told them.

"They truly are the most wonderful children Padmé", Anakin commented, watching his children splash about in the water in admiration.

"Well they are fifty percent of you Anakin", Padmé replied.

"I don't think that is where they got all their wonderful qualities from my love", Anakin replied, looking into his wife's eyes lovingly.

"Oh, don't be silly Anakin. Luke and Leia possess so many qualities that I know they got from you. Their fierce devotion and love for their family, their passion and determination, and they are so strong with the force just like their father", Padmé reminded her husband softly.

"I think they are stronger than I could ever hope to be", Anakin replied.

"Don't doubt yourself Anakin. You have experienced more with the force than anyone will ever know. You have been on both sides, light and dark, and more than that you have faced your destiny. You are the chosen one", she stated, touching her husband's cheek softly.

"As long as I am the one chosen by you, that is all I need", Anakin replied, partially avoiding the statement made by his wife.

"Come on mum, dad, the water is nice and warm", Luke shouted out to his parents.

"Okay we are coming", Padmé replied, as she took her hair out from the style, she had it in, realising it was silly to believe she would not get it wet in the lake.

As they stood up Anakin looked at his wife, admiring her in her swimsuit and with her hair down. "You know you still make me feel like you did over 10 years ago".

"Well it is good to know that even in my old age, you find me attractive", Padmé commented.

"Well age brings with it many benefits. It has allowed me to appreciate the gifts I have", Anakin replied, as he and Padmé entered the lake.

"Okay, who was lying about it being warm. It is freezing", Anakin told his children. He had barely got into the water above his swim shorts, but already he felt the water's coolness.

"Oh Ani, don't be silly. It is fine. You never were a huge fan of swimming in the lakes", Padmé stated.

"I only went in so I could be with you Padmé", Anakin told her.

"Well now, you will have to come in to be with all of us", she replied, as she swam towards the twins.

"Haha, daddy is scared of cold water", Leia shouted, as they laughed at their father.

"I am not scared. I just don't like being cold", Anakin told his children.

"You were born on Tatooine weren't you father?", Leia asked.

"Yes, I was. It is a very warm and desert planet. I have never liked the cold", he added.

"Oh Ani, this is hardly cold. We can lie out after and let the sun dry us", Padmé told him, looking at him softly with her doe brown eyes.

Unable to resist his wifes beauty, Anakin waded further into the water, where both his children jumped on him excitedly. "The things I do for you three huh", Anakin stated, as he held his children in his arms.

"Why don't you two show your father what wonderful swimmers you are", Padmé told the children.

Luke and Leia proceeded to show Anakin their swimming skills, having clearly inherited their skill and love for the water from Padmé. "You most certainly got your love of the water from our mother", Anakin commented, hugely impressed by their physical abilities at such a young age. He was curious to see how their mental skills and connections to the force would develop in the future. He knew that they were already strong with the force, but with more training from him and Obi-Wan they had the potential to be the best Jedi in the galaxy.

"Yeah mum loves to swim", Luke commented, as the three of them swam further out. Anakin followed behind them, not wanting to be left behind as they swam out further towards the centre of the lake.

"Not much further please you two, stay in sight", Padmé told the children as she waited for Anakin to catch up.

"I am glad we are not aquatic animals. Because if we were, I would never be able to keep up with you. I would be forever chasing you", Anakin commented, as he pulled Padmé close to him in the water.

"You have the advantage on land, and I have the advantage in the water", Padmé replied, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck.

"I think we both know you always have the advantage my love", Anakin retorted, kissing her neck softly.

"Calm down now Anakin. The children are just over there", Padmé told him.

"To be continued, then Senator", Anakin replied with a keen smile.

"We shall see, Master Skywalker", Padmé teased.


	33. Chapter 33 - Plans

The couple's perfect moment was shattered by the desperate pleas of their children. "Mummy, daddy, help!", the twins shouted desperately.

Both Anakin and Padmé's heads snapped towards their children. Their heads were just above the surface but were sinking quickly. Without hesitation both Padmé and Anakin swam towards their children.

"Its mud, we are sinking. We can't get out", Leia shouted, desperately trying to free her feet from the sand below.

Padmé got to her children first and dived down below the water to try and pull her children's feet free, to no avail. She looked to her husband desperately, as he too attempted to pull their feet free from the sand quickly consuming them.

"Padmé keep their heads above the water", Anakin ordered his wife, as he pushed away from them to float just in front of his children. He closed his eyes and reached out his hands as he called on the force, seeking to use all of his power to free his children. As he felt the force flow through him, he focused on his children and his desire to save them and let it guide him in his actions. Seconds later he felt the force free them from the sand, as Padmé grabbed both of them.

"My babies", Padmé shouted, trying her best to contain her rocketing emotions.

Anakin swam over to them and carried Luke out of the water, as Padmé carried Leia. Both children were visibly shaken by the event as they were pulled from the lake back on the bank.

Padmé ran and grabbed two blankets and wrapped them around her children, hugging them tightly, so grateful they were alright.

"That was so scary mum", Leia said as her mother comforted her.

"I know baby, I was so scared too. I was so worried", she confessed, as she hugged both of her children tightly.

"You did it, daddy. You used the force to get us out", Luke commented, smiling softly at his father.

"I am most grateful I was able to do so. For a moment there I didn't know what me and your mother were going to do. It just proves you should never underestimate your environment and always be cautious of what is around you. You are both confident and capable swimmers, but today none of us were good enough swimmers to be able to pull you from that sand. It is because of the force that we were able to free you", Anakin stated, hoping to instil a lesson in his children.

"Yes, father, we understand", Leia replied.

Padmé tried her best to calm her racing heartbeat as she said, "Let's get both of you inside for a warm shower before dinner". She kissed them both on the forehead and held their hands as they walked back inside. Anakin followed behind them as he ran a hand through his hair, still overwhelmed by what had just happened. In the blink of an eye he had gone from a peaceful romantic moment with his wife, to having to save his children from drowning. He had called on the light side of the force and used all of his strength to free his children. It had pained him to see the expression on Padmé's face as she saw her children in danger, and he knew that she had been shaken by the event.

Dinner was a quieter than usual affair that evening. Both the twins were also shaken by what had transpired at the lake. Geeta and Obi-Wan had tried to help keep the conversation flowing, but it was a lot more challenging than normal. The berry cake that Geeta had prepared was well received, but the twins had insisted they were not that hungry. Geeta promised them that she would save some for them to have tomorrow, knowing that they would regain their strong appetites soon.

"Mummy I'm tired", Leia stated.

"Me too", Luke said.

"Let us get you two into bed. You have had a big day", Padmé replied.

Her and Anakin left the kitchen, each carrying one of their children, as they left Obi-Wan and Geeta in the kitchen.

"It appears that what transpired at the lake really scared the children", Obi-Wan commented.

"I know bless them, they hardly touched the cake, and I know they were so excited for it this morning", Geeta stated.

"Anakin too seems rather unsettled by it. He used the force to save them. They are most fortunate that Anakin is so strong with the force", Obi-Wan added.

"I think we are all very fortunate for that", Geeta commented.

"You are right Geeta", Obi-Wan concluded.

Padmé and Anakin finished putting the twins to bed, each taking more time than usual to hug and kiss them goodnight. It has been a scary day for all for all of them, and not one that Padmé desired to repeat any time soon. When the couple got to their chambers, Padmé fell into her husbands arms and cried. Anakin could tell that Padmé had forced herself to contain her emotions in front of the children, so not to worry them. But not that it was just the two of them, her emotions were came flooding to the surface.

"I can't believe what nearly happened today Ani. We nearly lost our children", she stated, tears running down her cheeks.

Anakin wrapped his arms around his wife, as her head rested on his chest. "I know it was scary Padmé. But we got to them and they are going to be just fine", Anakin stated, trying his best to reassure his wife.

"But Ani, if you hadn't been there or didn't have the force, we wouldn't have been able to save them. I am such a terrible mother, I should have been closer to them, I should have been watching them more carefully", Padmé cried, chastising herself bitterly.

It hurt Anakin to hear her say such things. He cupped his wife's face in his hands and looked into her eyes lovingly. "Padmé, you are the most wonderful mother that any child could hope for. I could not think of anyone that could have done a better job raising two force sensitive children. You did all that you could, and we were so close to them as well Padmé. What matters is that I did have the force and I was able to pull them from the sand", Anakin reminded her.

"I am just so grateful you were there Ani", Padmé replied, tightening her hold around her husband.

"I will always be here Padmé, to protect you and the twins, I promise you", Anakin told her passionately, kissing her forehead tenderly.

"I love you Anakin Skywalker", Padmé stated, looking up into her husband's sky-blue eyes.

"And I love you Padmé Skywalker. You are the most incredible woman, wife and mother, please don't ever doubt that", Anakin replied, as he leaned in to catch his wife's soft lips in a kiss.

After their kiss broke Anakin lifted Padmé into his arms and carried her out onto their balcony that offered them a beautiful view.

"I just want to stay here Ani. I wish we did not have to leave. I don't want to leave Luke and Leia again", she confessed.

"I know Padmé, I do not want to leave them again either", Anakin replied.

"How long do you think it will be before the Emperor requests you and we have to leave?", she asked him.

"I'm not sure. I need to consult with some of my troopers tomorrow and establish the status of the investigation. I do want to find out who tried to kill you. The investigation has acted as good cover and has enabled me to come here, because I can justify my off-world travels by following up any leads", Anakin commented.

"Yes, that makes sense. I am not sure how long the Senate will be disbanded for either. I think that depends on your investigation", Padmé stated.

Anakin put his wife down as she stood next to him on the open balcony before saying, "In truth Padmé, I do not think you should return to the Senate. There have now been two attempts on your life, and I am concerned that the Emperor is going to remove me from your protection. The only reason I was comfortable with you returning last time was because I knew I was there to protect you. But even then, I was called off world and I nearly lost you. I cannot and I will not risk losing you again Padmé", Anakin stated strongly, looking at his wife.

"I understand Anakin. I want to go back and continue to serve my people, but I know it would be foolish of me to think it is completely safe, even with you there. Our focus now needs to be on moving forward with the Alliance and on destroying that monster Palpatine", Padmé replied.

"I think it would not arise suspicions if you were to concur that you were executing your duties from your home world of Naboo. That way you can continue to occupy the role, but you are not at risk from any attacks", Anakin concluded.

"Yes, I think that is a wise precaution. But there would be some rare occasions when the Senate would be called to session when I would need to be in attendance, for a vote or a call to action. But we can address that issue when it arises", Padmé stated.

"It won't be much longer that we have to do all of this Padmé. Soon we will restore peace to the galaxy, and the Senate will have real power again. You can step down as Senator of Naboo and finally we will be able to live together as a family", Anakin promised his wife.

"That day cannot come soon enough for me Ani", Padmé told him, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Let's get some sleep Angel", Anakin stated as he took his wife's hand and walked with her back inside to their chambers.

When they woke the next morning, Anakin and Padmé were greeted by their children, Geeta and Obi-Wan in the kitchen.

"Morning everyone", Padmé smiled, as she and her husband kissed their children on the forehead as they sat down eating breakfast.

"Morning mummy, morning daddy", both twins replied, their mouths full of berries and pancakes.

"What are we doing today mum?", Luke asked him mother as she and Anakin sat down to eat too.

"Well, I was thinking we could play some games this morning. I know how much you both enjoy playing Sabacc", Padmé answered. "I think your father has some work to attend to this morning, but then we can join him before lunch in the gymnasium", she added.

"Yeah that will be fun. Maybe Obi-Wan can join us for a training session too", Luke stated.

"That is up to Master Obi-Wan", Padmé commented.

"I would take great pleasure in training with you all later on. Thank you for the invitation Luke", Obi-Wan stated with a smile.

"I am most intrigued to see what skills you still possess Master", Anakin commented wryly.

"Ahh yes well I am afraid I may disappoint you there Anakin. I am a lot older now, and more than a bit out of practice", Obi-Wan defended.

As the group laughed at the comments being exchanged, Padmé then said, "This afternoon your father, myself and Obi-Wan have a meeting with Bail Organa here. So, for a little while you can help Geeta with preparations for dinner".

"Is it an important meeting?", Leia asked.

"Yes Leia. Very important. I hope that soon we will not have to have any more meetings and that there will be peace in the galaxy, and we can all live together as a family", Padmé stated, looking at both her children.

"The galaxy is very lucky to have you mummy", Leia replied admiringly.

"You are right Leia, we are all very lucky to have your mother", Anakin stated, kissing his wife's hand. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to make contact with my troopers", he added, before standing and departing the kitchen.

"I hope he does not encounter too many problems", Obi-Wan stated as Anakin left.

"I hope so too Obi-Wan. I know it is extremely hard for Anakin to continue his servitude to the Empire", Padmé replied. "Well enough of that talk, let us go and play a game. Obi-Wan would you like to join us, we could use an extra player", she added.

Obi-Wan smiled and replied, "Alright then, thank you. But I am afraid I will not be much help in such a game. I must have only played a handful of times".

"It's alright Obi-Wan, we can teach you", Leia stated excitedly.

"Excellent then, I am all yours", he added.

Anakin had retired to his office in the establishments in order to distance himself from his family. He knew that right now he had to become Vader, and he did not want to be that man around them. As he put on his mask, he dialled in the frequency for his commander, and waited for his holoimage to appear.

"Lord Vader, Sir", the trooper stated as he saluted his commander.

"What is your update on the investigation into Senator Soruna's assassination attempt?", Vader asked.

"We are still pursuing several leads My Lord. We attempted to get hold of you yesterday, but the troopers who are usually posted at your hangar bay informed me that you had transferred them Sir", the trooper replied.

"It was my belief that they would be better utilised in the effort to investigate the assailant. I am currently off-world following my own leads in the investigation", Vader informed his commander, hoping it would buy him time.

"There is one thing that came up Sir", the trooper commented.

"What was it, Commander?", he asked.

"We succeeded in tracing some of the explosives that were used in the attempt against Senator Soruna and yourself, and we found that the explosives were purchased by an organisation within the Imperial network", the trooper reported.

"That is most interesting Commander. I want you to handle that information with the greatest degree of care. If it is to be made known that the order on Senator Soruna was made by an Imperial, then it could have catastrophic consequences. I want you to continue to chase that lead and speak to anyone you can that could give as an idea for who was responsible for the attack", Vader ordered.

"Yes, Sir I understand", the trooper responded.

"I am unsure when I will return, but I want regular updates trooper and I will see what progress I can make at my end", Vader stated.

"Of course, Sir. I was also asked by Governor Tarkin to relay his concerns about the ongoing construction of the Death Star. He asks you to make contact Sir", the trooper informed his commander.

"I will speak with that impatient snake of a Governor", Vader replied. "I will be in contact soon", he added, before he ended the call.

Wanting to get it over with, Anakin then input the frequency to reach Governor Tarkin. He was not surprised that the Governors and Moffs were growing increasingly impatient. For many of them, construction of this mechanical monster was going to catapult them into considerable positions of power. Vader was not naïve to the fact that many of the highest-ranking officers desired his position as second in command. Anakin knew that if peace was to be achieved, many of these officers would have to be destroyed too. He was then broken from his thoughts by the monotone sound of Tarkin.

"Ahh Lord Vader, how kind of you to finally respond", Tarkin stated bitterly.

"What do you want Tarkin?", Vader asked impatiently.

"Construction of the Death Star has stagnated Lord Vader. Because of the Senate's furlough and your demand that troops be transferred for the investigation we are falling behind schedule", Tarkin reported.

"That is not my concern Tarkin. I would not have thought that construction would be significantly impacted by events at the Senate. You should not have a problem getting back on schedule. The Emperor would be most displeased with your apparent lack of progress", Vader retorted.

"I have got men working around the clock to maintain construction progress. We have had some changes made to some of the defence systems schematics and we require you to review them for any flaws. This station cannot possess any weaknesses that those Rebel scum could exploit", Tarkin spat.

"Send me the schematics and I will review them. Next time we speak Governor, I hope you present me with more fruitful news", Vader stated, before ending the communication without another word.

As Anakin removed his helmet, he felt himself relax now that he had conducted his duties as Vader. He found it particularly interesting that it had been someone in the Imperial network who had ordered the assassination of Senator Soruna. He hoped his troopers would be able to establish more information from the trace of the explosives, but he did want to find out who it was that nearly killed him and his wife. Anakin departed his office, leaving the mask and suit there and went to go and join his family in the gymnasium.

When he entered, he was greeted by his children warmly, who had been practicing with Obi-Wan.

"Yay daddy now you can train with us", Leia stated excitedly.

"Yes, young one, I am excited to see what you have learnt", Anakin replied as he walked with his children hand-in-hand towards the centre of the gym to meet Padmé and Obi-Wan.

"How was your meeting?", Padmé asked, kissing her husband on the cheek softly.

"I will tell you later, there has been some interesting developments", Anakin told her quietly.

"Come on you two, refocus. Show your father what we have been practicing", Obi-Wan stated, coaxing the children back towards the practice mat.

Anakin stood next to his wife as he watched his children take their stance in front of Obi-Wan. In sync with him, they changed their stance, moving their saber's from attack to defence and parry positions. He admired the way they moved, guided by the force as they did so. Obi-Wan had taught them a combination of movements that would help them alternate between attack and defensive positions, but he knew that soon they would each select their own combat form.

"I am very impressed by both of you. It is indeed a very valuable skill to know how to move on the attack and parry blaster shots. This experience will help you in time determine your own Jedi form", Anakin stated.

"What is your lightsaber form dad?", Luke asked his father.

"I was always more of an offensive fighter. I trained in the form of Djem So", Anakin told his children.

"What was your style Master Kenobi?", Leia asked curiously.

"Soresu. Unlike your father, I was much more of a tactical and defensive fighter. I preferred to lure my opponents into positions that provided me with an advantage", Obi-Wan replied.

At that moment both Anakin and Obi-Wan clearly had flashbacks of Mustafar. They were reminded of Anakin's brutal attack on Obi-Wan and then the older jedi's defensive style providing superior when he got the high ground on the banks of the lava planet.

Before he could continue down his path of dark memories Anakin stated, "I believe Master Windu called you the 'Master of Soresu".

"Perhaps he did. It was a long time ago now", Obi-Wan replied.

"Can you show us how you fight father. Two Jedi masters fighting together, that is so cool", Luke asked enthusiastically.

"I was never a Jedi Master son", Anakin stated, remembering the shame he felt at the time of being appointed to the Jedi Council but not granted the rank of Master.

"That may have been the case, but that does that mean you did not deserve it Anakin. You are the most gifted Jedi, the Order has ever seen", Obi-Wan commented.

"Perhaps", Anakin replied shortly.

"Please dad, please Obi-Wan. Show us a few tricks", Leia pleaded.

Padmé looked at her husband softly, knowing this must be hard for him. "You don't have to if you don't want to Ani", she told him reassuringly.

"I am alright Padmé. As long as Obi-Wan is willing", Anakin stated.

Obi-Wan looked at his friend for a moment. He knew that what happened on Mustafar was something that neither of them would forget. But he also knew that Anakin returning from the dark side was a gift to the galaxy and he had been willing to put aside all that happened to rebuild their relationship. This right now was a test of their friendship, and Obi-Wan did not want to let Anakin down as he did 8 years ago.

"It would be an honour", Obi-Wan replied with a small bow before he drew his lightsaber and took his stance.

Anakin smiled at him before he grabbed his saber and took his position on the training platform. Padmé and the twins stood back from the main arena, wanting to give them both plenty of space. Anakin then ignited his blue lightsaber and swished it around in his hand effortlessly.

"I see you haven't changed your desire to show off a few tricks", Obi-Wan commented.

"How can I resist. It intimidates most opponents. It gives me an advantage", Anakin replied.

"I think you will find that doesn't work on me Anakin", Obi-Wan stated. "But blue is most certainly your colour", he added.

Before anymore could be said Anakin took a step forward and initiated the first blow. Obi-Wan deflected it effortlessly, moving around Anakin and taking his stance again.

"Come on old man", Anakin teased. "Let's see what Master Kenobi still has", he added.

At the comment Obi-Wan pushed his advances, hoping to ease Anakin's cockiness. They duelled for several moments, each alternating their advantage.

"I am not that old. And with age comes wisdom and patience my friend", Obi-Wan stated.

"You sound like Master Yoda", Anakin retorted, before continuing to push his Master back, using all his strength and power.

The pair continued to fight, as Anakin's family watched in awe of both of them. Both men struggled to gain an advantage over the other, for even after more than 8 years they found they still knew one another like the back of their hand. But Anakin knew he was younger, fitter, and stronger and he utilised the advantage when he struck a heavy blow to Obi-Wan, which the older Jedi defended. But the strength of Anakin's strike caused Obi-Wan to fall to the floor. Anakin held his saber to his old master's chest for a few seconds before turning and smiling to his children. As he was distracted, Obi-Wan seized the opportunity and swept Anakin off his feet, so he collapsed on the training mat next to him.

"And that is why you never take your eyes off your opponent. Never underestimate them", Obi-Wan stated, as he and Anakin both stood up.

"Well played Master, as always a cunning tactician", Anakin commented with a smile, as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Wow, that was amazing. You are both such amazing fighters. It is so interesting though because you fight so differently", Luke stated.

"There is no one way to fight with a saber. There are many saber forms and that is why it is important for a Jedi to find the style that is best for them. Mine and your father's style of fighting are very different, but when we are against one another, we are both as strong as each other. Your father is faster and stronger than me, and had that fight continued he would have bested me, I am certain", Obi-Wan told the twins.

"Thanks for showing us. One day I want to be able to fight like that. I want to be strong like you father and I want to be able to outsmart my opponent like you Obi-Wan", Luke replied, looking to both of the men in admiration.

"Are you saying I am not smart?", Anakin asked, jokingly looking offended.

"No father, just that you are different", Luke replied.

"Well your mother was always the clever one anyway", Anakin stated, winking at his wife.

"I think everyone should have a shower before we have some lunch. Then the adults have our meeting, so you two can be nice and help Geeta, I know how much she enjoys spending time with you two", Padmé told her children with a smile.

As Padmé, Luke and Leia left the gym the two Jedi stayed behind to tidy up the gym. Anakin removed his black sweat clad shirt in an attempt to cool down as he attached his blue lightsaber on the hilt of his belt. As he turned, he could see Obi-Wan looking at him with a familiar expression on his face.

"Something to say Master Jedi", Anakin asked.

"I must commend you on your fighting skills. You have progressed significantly over the last several years. I sense more calculation and purposefulness in your moves, it is very impressive. I can see you have gotten much stronger physically and with the force", Obi-Wan commented.

"Yes, I guess with age I have learnt a few things. I have gotten stronger with the force and I feel my connection to the light side growing stronger each day. I know with your help and the presence of Padmé and the twins in my life that I am again Anakin Skywalker. As for physically I have had to get stronger. My armour is very heavy and cumbersome, so I needed to be strong enough to fight encased in my suit as Vader. I suppose I should make the most of it now, I wont look like this forever", Anakin replied, tensing his muscles jokingly.

"You may not look like that forever Anakin, but it won't change how strong you are with the force, nor will the love Padmé and your children have for you", he reminded him.

"Yes, I know. I am the luckiest man in the galaxy that Padmé loves me for much more than what I look like. The love we have for one another is indescribable, it is as though are souls are aligned across the stars. Padmé accepted me as a slave boy from Tatooine and as a Jedi Knight and when I got my scar from Ventress. She has accepted me after what I did to her on Mustafar as Vader and the scars the Emperor has gifted me with. It is far beyond appearance. Anakin Skywalker is merely a face", he declared.

"You really have grown wiser Anakin. I am very proud of the man you have become", Obi-Wan said, reaching out to shake Anakin's hand.

"Thank you Master", Anakin replied, bowing slightly. "I think we should go and shower before lunch and our meeting with Senator Organa", he added.


	34. Chapter 34 - Realisations

After enjoying lunch together, the twins helped Geeta clear the table and set about helping her make preparations for dinner. Soon after, the estate's security system informed them that a ship had entered the hangar bay. Bail met them in the lounge area of the house before they decided to have their meeting in Anakin's office.

"You look much better than the last time I saw you Padmé. I trust you are recovering well", Bail stated.

"Yes, I am thank you Bail. I have a medical droid here to monitor me, but I am very lucky for the medical treatment I have received and to Anakin for saving my life", Padmé replied, taking her husband's hand.

"It is good to see you as well Anakin. Despite knowing it was you under the suit and mask, I never imagined I would see your face again", Bail commented, slightly surprised by how little Anakin had changed in over 8 years.

"Thank you, Senator Organa. I must express my gratitude to you for protecting and supporting Padmé when I have been unable, it means a great deal to me", Anakin replied.

"It is my pleasure", Bail stated with a small smile. "And Obi-Wan. It has been too long my friend", Bail added, nodding to the older Jedi in acknowledgement.

"I agree Senator. I just wish we could be meeting under different circumstances. But right now, the galaxy needs us to act", Obi-Wan replied as he took a seat next to Bail, who sat opposite Anakin and Padmé.

"Anakin, can you divulge what you established from the communications you had with your troopers this morning?", Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes. There have been some interesting developments. My commander informed me that they have managed to trace some of the explosive residue and have established that the explosive device used was purchased by someone from within the Imperial network. So, someone from the Empire ordered that hit", Anakin stated.

"Why would someone from the Empire want to kill an Imperial Senator?", Obi-Wan asked curiously.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out. I have got my trooper investigating further into the tracing of the account. But whoever they were, they wanted it to be anonymous", Anakin declared.

"Could it be they had been made aware of Padmé's identity as Senator Soruna?", Bail asked.

"I don't think so", Anakin replied. "The Empire has believed that Senator Amidala died more than 8 years ago and from what I understand you have done very well to keep it a secret. Senator Soruna was placed under the protection of Darth Vader following the first attempt on her life. I think whoever it was that ordered the hit, intended for the target to be Senator Soruna, and they very nearly succeeded, as well as nearly killing me in the process", Anakin added.

"I hope that we are able to bring the assailant to justice for their crime. But until then I think it is wise that you do not return to the Senate when it reconvenes Padmé", Bail said.

"I agree with your concerns and I think it would be foolish of me to return to the Senate. I am confident I can execute my duties from my home planet, and if I need to visit the Senate for any reason, we can make suitable arrangement when the occasion arises", Padmé told them.

"I also spoke to the Governor Tarkin. I am unsure how much you know about the Death Star", Anakin asked.

"We only know what the Emperor will tell us. He says it is a machine being built for the protection and security of the Empire and its people. Whilst I do not believe he is being honest, I cannot say I know any more about it", Bail confessed.

"I am the same as Bail", Padmé concurred.

"The Death Star is a weapon of incredible magnitude. It is an enormous space station and once construction has been completed it will have the power to destroy a planet with its superlasers. It is the hopes of the Emperor and the leading Governors and Grand Moffs that this station will make them an unstoppable force and certainly one that will destroy the Rebel Alliance", Anakin informed the group, seeing the concerned looks build on their face.

"I don't believe it", Obi-Wan stated, shocked by Anakin's words.

Padmé took her husbands hand and said, "Ani, surely you know we cannot allow the construction of this death star to be completed. If the Empire was to possess a weapon that had the power to destroy planets the Rebel Alliance would not stand a chance, there would never be peace in the galaxy", Padmé exclaimed desperately.

"I know my love I know. Even as Vader I was never enthusiastic about the station's construction. It was my belief that the ability to destroy a planet was insignificant next to the power of the force. But that station will be almost fully operation before construction has completed, which makes it even more of an imminent threat", Anakin identified.

"Can it be destroyed?", Obi-Wan asked.

"A station that size. How could we destroy such a thing?", Bail Organa exclaimed.

"Could there be a weakness. Something we could exploit.", Obi-Wan stated.

"I have been placed in charge of reviewing all of the schematics for the Death Star. Prior to the commencement of its construction I spent weeks analysing the plans that were developed, trying to find any weaknesses", Anakin told them.

"Anakin if anyone can find a weakness in that station, you can. You know so much about engineering and robotics"; Padmé told her husband.

"I must inform the Alliance about this. If we are to stand a chance of destroying the Empire and bringing peace to the galaxy, we must destroy this monstrous space station", Bail announced.

"Some changes have been made to some of the defence systems schematics and Tarkin has asked me to review them. I will do so and if I can find any weaknesses, I will let you know. This station was designed to be impenetrable by any large fleets and destroyers", Anakin stated.

"Any help you can give us will be hugely valuable Anakin. I will ask the Alliance to start to prepare fighters and forces. If we can find a weakness to this station, we can destroy it", Bail replied.

"Destroying that station is just the beginning. If we destroy that station, they will simply build another that is bigger and more powerful. If we are going to destroy the Empire, we need to totally dismantle it from the inside. The key to all of this is destroying the Emperor, and that task falls to me", Anakin announced firmly.

"I understand Anakin. We all have a part to play in this. But I hope it will be a time remembered in history, when we can all live in peace", Bail responded.

"You will not be alone in this Anakin. I will help you defeat the Emperor. I won't let you face him alone", Obi-Wan confessed.

"I suggest we conclude our meeting here. I shall contact the Alliance and inform them of what we now know. I am unsure when we will be called back to the Senate, but I am hoping this current furlough will buy us some time to build momentum and rally more support. Anakin, if you are able to provide us with any information, we would be most grateful", Bail highlighted.

"I will do all I can Senator Organa. All I want is for my family to live in peace and not in fear of the Emperor. I want to make amends for all the pain I have caused people in this galaxy. We are all soldiers in this war and I will do my duty", Anakin replied.

"Excellent. I shall leave you to have some time with your family", Bail commented as he stood from his chair.

"I will escort you out Senator", Obi-Wan insisted, as they exited the office and headed back down towards the hangar bay.

"I can't believe what you said about the Death Star. I never imagined such a weapon could exist", Padmé confessed to her husband.

"I promise we won't let that station become operational Padmé. I will do all I can to find a weakness and help destroy it. I won't let any harm come to you or the twins, never again", Anakin promised his wife as he kissed her hand.

"I hope so Ani. I just want this all to be over", Padmé replied.

"Soon my love", Anakin said assuring. "I also want to find whoever is responsible for your attempted assassination. It is troubling to me that it is someone from the Empire. Someone who had substantial wealth and connections to organise such a plot, whilst remaining anonymous. But when I find out I will make them pay", Anakin stated forcibly.

Padmé brought her hand to her husband's face and said, "Please don't let your anger consume you Anakin. I know you want to find the person responsible, but do not let your desire for revenge cloud your judgement and draw you back towards the dark. I can't lose you again", she pleaded, tears coming to her eyes.

Anakin relaxed his face after hearing his wife's words, realising he had let his emotions get the better of him. "I'm sorry my love. It is just the thought of anyone hurting you just breaks me. But I promise you will never lose me again. I cannot live without you, Luke and Leia", he confessed as he leant down to kiss her lips softly.

"Let's go and be with our family Anakin", Padmé stated as their kiss broke. The pair then left the office and walked down to the kitchen where they were greeted by their children.

"Mum, dad, dinner is going to be the best tonight, because me and Leia have helped make it", Luke announced proudly.

"Yes, we have picked more berries for a cake we've baked, we've helped Geeta make some soup too. It's going to be yummy", Leia told them.

"That sounds beautiful, I am so excited for it", Padmé told her children with a smile.

"As am I. I am as hungry as a rancor", Anakin commented.

"It shouldn't be too long", Geeta informed them.

"How was your meeting mummy?", Leia asked.

"It was good sweetheart. We talked about a lot and we are making a plan. It just takes a lot of time because a lot of people are involved", Padmé stated.

"Are you going to kill the Emperor father?", Luke asked.

"Yes, I am Luke", Anakin replied.

"But he used to be your master", the young boy stated.

"He did son. But I made a big mistake serving him. He is a very bad man and in order for there to be peace in the galaxy, we need to get rid of him. I am the only person who is strong enough to kill him", Anakin told his son.

"But dad, what if you aren't strong enough. What if he kills you?", the boy asked sadly.

Anakin paused for a moment upon hearing his son's question. He had been training intensely and he knew he was physically stronger than his master. But the Emperor was not to be underestimated and he possessed the power of Sith lightning, which had proved to have a detrimental impact on his breathing if experienced in large doses.

"Your daddy is the strongest Jedi in the whole galaxy Luke. He will beat the Emperor and we will live happily together as a family", Padmé reassured her children, also upset by his statement.

"I am training hard and I am getting stronger with the force. When the time comes, I will be ready son, and I will do it for you, your sister, and your mother", Anakin replied, looking at both of his children intently.

"And more importantly, he won't be alone", Obi-Wan stated as he entered the kitchen, having escorted Senator Organa back to the hangar bay.

"Dinner is ready", Geeta stated as they all moved to take their seats at the table.

"This is looks and smells wonderful, thank you Geeta", Padmé told her.

"Thank you, My Lady. I had a lot of help", she replied, smiling at the twins.

After dinner, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Padmé enjoyed being taught a new game by the twins. They were amused by the ever-changing rules meaning the grown-ups almost always lost, but it brought great joy to all seeing the twins so happy.

"Alright you two, I think it's time for bed", Padmé stated, having seen both of her children attempting to stifle their yawns.

"Can we play again tomorrow?", Luke asked.

"We can have another whole day of fun tomorrow", Anakin told his son.

"Yay", the twins replied in unison.

"Goodnight young ones, Good night Anakin, Padmé", Obi-Wan stated, bowing as he left the lounge area and headed for his guest quarters.

Anakin lifted up both his children in his strong arms and joked, "I swear either you two are getting bigger and stronger by the day or I am getting weaker".

"You aren't getting weaker dad, look how big your muscles are", Leia stated, poking her fathers tensing bicep as he carried his children.

"That means my babies are growing up", Padmé stated, looking at her children as she walked with her husband up towards their bedrooms.

"We won't be children forever mum", Leia said.

"I know. But I want to make the most of it while you are. Don't be in any rush to grow up sweetheart", Padmé reminded her daughter.

"Yes, mummy", Leia replied as Anakin put her down on her bed gently.

"Goodnight Princess", Anakin said as he kissed his daughter softly and went to take Luke to his bedroom.

"Night daddy and night mummy", Leia replied, as her mother tucked her in gently and kissed her goodnight.

"Goodnight my beautiful girl, sleep well", Padmé said softly, before leaving the room and going to Luke's adjoining room.

"Goodnight son", Anakin stated, as he pulled the sheet up over his son's body.

"Goodnight father. I am so happy you are alive. Me and Leia are so lucky you are our father, and you have made mummy so happy", Luke told his father softly.

"I am so happy to be here with all of you Luke, and I will be here always", Anakin told his son, as he heard Padmé approach them and kiss her son goodnight.

The pair then walked out, content that their children were in bed and going to sleep.

"Remember you have your check-up with the medical droid Padmé. If you would like we can go now and see it so it is done", Anakin reminded his wife.

"Oh yes. Truthfully, I had forgotten about that. We've been having such a wonderful time here and I feel fine", Padmé replied.

"Well it would make me feel much more at ease if you would go and get checked by the medical droid. You shouldn't underestimate all you have been through over the last many weeks my love", Anakin commented.

"I know Ani. Come on, let us go now whilst the twins are in bed", Padmé replied.

Moments later they entered the small medical bay and were greeted by the medical droid they had brought with them.

"Ahh My Lady it is good to see you. I was hoping you would come today for a check-up. I will be with you momentarily", the droid stated as it collected the necessary equipment to conduct the test.

Padmé sat down on the medical bed in the centre of the room as the droid came over to check her vital signs and her responses following her time in suspended animation. After all the tests had been completed the droid reported, "I am very happy with your recovery My Lady. Your brain has responded well to the time in stasis and so I am confident you should not experience any further headaches or injuries from the accident. Your burns and cuts are healing well and should be gone in a few more days. I believe your abdominal wound experienced exceptional recovery, which was why you were discharged from Coruscant Medical".

"So, everything is fine, and she is back to normal health?", Anakin asked, wanting to confirm that his wife was healthy and well.

"I am very happy with your wife's recovery My Lord. I do just want to run one test again, but it has returned an unusual result, but it is nothing pressing and more than likely it is an error in the equipment. I will rerun the test and inform you when I get the result back. But in the meantime, My Lady, I recommend you avoid strenuous exertion, but you can exercise again, and continue to follow a healthy balanced diet", the droid replied.

Anakin couldn't help but raise his eyebrow at the comment regarding an unusual result. But having spent a significant number of hours receiving medical treatment, he knew that some tests could be temperamental and simply needed to be double-checked.

"Good, please do inform us when you have that test result back. I want to know that my wife is well", Anakin replied.

"Yes, My Lord", the droid replied.

Anakin helped Padmé down from the bed as they left the medical bay hand in hand. It was a short walk back up to their chambers where both of them prepared for bed. Padmé sat at her vanity table and removed her ring and started to brush her hair soothingly. Anakin emerged from the fresher moments later and ran a hand through his hair and got into bed, admiring his wife as she sat brushing her hair.

"You know all I have to do with my hair is run a hand through it. Why is it not so simple with yours?", Anakin asked his wife.

Padmé turned to look at her husband and then stated, "Firstly, my hair is much longer than yours. Secondly, it has been styled all day so when I take it out it needs to be brushed. And thirdly I don't just run a hand through mine because I'm not a scruffy-looking nerf herder".

"A scruffy looking nerf herder. Senator, I am offended. I take great pride in my appearance", Anakin replied.

"I can see that", Padmé responded sarcastically.

"Why else do you think all women from across the galaxy fawn over me?", Anakin retorted.

Padmé laughed at his statement and then said, "Oh is that so? So, I am just like any of these other women who fawn over you", Padmé teased, standing up from the small table.

Anakin stood up to meet her in the centre of the room, his broad muscular frame towering over her petite body.

"Oh, not at all Senator. Quite the opposite. It is the ones who play hard to get who are the most desirable, and you are certainly desirable", Anakin replied, kissing her neck softly.

"Don't think you can just seduce me with your words of flattery Master Jedi. I am not just any woman", Padmé told her husband, trying to put on her best senatorial voice.

"Believe me, I know. I don't even think you are a woman at all. You are an angel, even more beautiful than the ones from the moons of Iago. But more than that you aren't just anyone, you are my wife Padmé. Other women don't exist to me. You are in my very soul", Anakin told her passionately.

"Be careful Anakin if someone was to hear your confessions, they may think you sound weak", Padmé stated, her lips hovering over her husband's teasing him.

"Oh, but I am. I am weak at the knees when I am with you Padmé. You are my greatest weakness and my greatest strength. What I feel for you is unmatched by any other", Anakin confessed.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen", Padmé taunted as their lips collided in a passionate kiss.

Anakin lifted his wife up into his arms, as her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and their kiss intensified. They were both lost in their passion for one another as time around them froze. Anakin walked over to their bed and lowered his wife down onto the sheets below. Their eyes met, both communicating their feelings for one another without speaking. Padmé embraced her husband tightly as he joined her on their bed and the desire inside of both of them burned intensely as they lost themselves in the mass of silk sheets.

Anakin awoke quite early the next morning, as he saw the sunrise coming up from outside the window on the balcony. Still half asleep he rolled over to embrace his wife and was surprised to see the bed next to him was empty.

"Padmé", Anakin said, as he sat up in bed, confused.

"I'm in here Ani", Padmé replied.

Anakin then noticed the white light of the fresher door which was left ajar. He got up from their bed and put on his sleep pants before walking to the fresher to see his wife. When he entered the fresher, he saw Padmé sat resting against the toilet.

"Angel, what's wrong?", Anakin asked concerned, as he knelt down next to her.

"I'm just not feeling that great", Padmé replied, her pale pace turning to look at her husband.

"We should take you to see the medical droid", Anakin stated.

"No, Ani, it's fine, its probably just a bug. I'll be fine", Padmé replied. She had hardly finished her sentence when nausea overcame her, and she moved her head into the toilet bowl. Anakin quickly moved to support her and held her hair above her head.

When the immediate feeling of sickness had passed, Padmé looked at her husband and said, "I don't want you to see me like this Ani".

"Why not. In sickness and in health remember. I'm not just here for the good parts", Anakin stated softly, smiling at the memory of last night.

"Thank you", Padmé replied.

"I'm worried about you Padmé. I want us to go to the medical bay and have the medi-droid look at you. It could be something to do with the accident or your injuries", Anakin commented.

"If you insist Ani. But I think it is probably just a bug. I've been under a lot of stress; I haven't had time to be ill. Perhaps it is just catching up to me", Padmé responded.

"Either way my love, I want you to seek the advice of the medical droid. Come on", Anakin told her. Before Padmé had the chance to replied, Anakin picked his wife up carefully and carried her out of their chambers towards the medical bay.

"Good morning Master. How can I help you?", the medical droid asked, as he saw him enter carrying his wife.

"Padmé has been ill this morning. I am concerned it is related to her recent injuries. Please can you have a look at her?", Anakin asked the droid as he placed Padmé on the medical bed gently.

The droid took Padmé's temperature and assessed her vitals before saying, "Your symptoms are not consistent with any conditions you could develop following the accident. I was most happy with Miss Padmé's recovery and I am uncertain as to why her body has reacted this way", the droid stated.

"So, you don't know what's wrong with me?", Padmé asked the droid curiously, as Anakin passed her a glass of water.

"I cannot currently Miss but …", the droid stated, before being interrupted by a loud beeping noise behind it. "I believe that is the rerun of the inconclusive test I ran yesterday. Hold on one moment", the droid added.

"How are you feeling angel?", Anakin asked his wife intently.

"I am feeling better now. The nausea is passing.", Padmé replied.

Just then the droid returned and said, "Sorry to interrupt you both, but I think you should know that I just got the results back from the test I ran yesterday My Lady. The reason the test returned erroneous results was because your body was showing inconsistent signs of a matter in the blood that was not recognised. But now it makes sense as to why. I believe you are pregnant My Lady", the droid informed her.

Both Padmé and Anakin remained silent for several moments after the droid spoke. Neither of them was able to believe what they had just heard, as they exchanged several shocked expressions.

"I'm, I'm pregnant", Padmé stammered.

"Yes, My Lady. Congratulations", the droid replied.

"Padmé, I can't believe it. You are pregnant. I'm going to be a father again!", Anakin replied elated as he embraced his wife as she sat up on the medical bed.

"It all makes sense now. What I felt was morning sickness. I cannot believe the baby survived the explosion, my injuries and my time in the stasis chamber", she commented.

"She must be a fighter, just like her mother", Anakin stated proudly, as he caressed his wife's face.

"What makes you think the baby is a she? You always think it's a girl", Padmé asked her husband.

"Yes, and I was right wasn't I", Anakin replied.

"But so was I", Padmé retorted with a smile.

"I don't mind. Any child that you give me is the most incredible blessing Padmé. Words cannot express how happy I am that we are having another child. And this time I will be here with you. I promise you will not go through this pregnancy alone Padmé. I will be here with you, always", Anakin promised.

"I love you Anakin Skywalker", Padmé stated, as she leaned in to kiss her husband.

"I love you too Padmé, so much", Anakin stated lovingly as their lips met in a soft kiss.


	35. Chapter 35 - Celebrations

As their kiss broke, Anakin felt the presence of his old master at the door.

"I am sorry to disturb you both. But I was informed that Padmé had been brought down to the medical bay and I just wanted to check you were alright", Obi-Wan stated softly.

"Please, come in Obi-Wan", Padmé said with a soft smile as Anakin took his place next to her bed.

"You look like you are being well cared for Padmé", Obi-Wan stated.

"I am most definitely. And I am just fine, more than fine", Padmé told her friend.

She looked at Anakin wordlessly as they exchanged thoughts. Anakin took his wife's hand and then said, "Padmé is pregnant".

Obi-Wan's eyes widened slightly in surprised before saying, "Well I believe congratulations are in order. I am very happy for both of you. I am sure that Luke and Leia will be thrilled to have a little brother or sister. Another Skywalker child to guide and train. I've always liked a challenge".

"Haha indeed. I am certain Luke and Leia will be very pleased. I cannot wait to be a father again, it is the biggest gift Padmé can give me, other than her unconditional love", Anakin replied, kissing his wife's hand softly.

"It is still very early stages, but we will tell the twins because I have a feeling that even if we did not, they would find out anyway. I think it's a Skywalker trait", Padmé commented with a smile.

"Oh it most certainly is, Padmé, trust me", Obi-Wan countered.

Anakin, Padmé and Obi-Wan left the medical bay and headed towards the kitchen where Luke and Leia were sat at the table devouring a large stack of warm pancakes made by Geeta.

"Good morning Master, My Lady, Obi-Wan", Geeta stated, greeting each guest as they walked in.

"Good morning Geeta. These smell wonderful", Padmé commented with a smile.

"They are amazing mum. I want to have Geeta's pancakes every day for the rest of my life", Luke stated excitedly.

"Take a seat and I will make up a fresh batch for all of you", Geeta said, as the group joined the excited children at the large glass dining table.

"It looks like you both got your large appetites from me huh", Anakin told his children as they both stuffed their faces with pancakes, chocolate sauce and berries.

"We used to say in the temple that the Padawan's got through more food than the rest of the order combined", Obi-Wan commented with a smile.

"That is certainly true for these two, I can vouch for that", Padmé replied.

"Here you go. Enjoy", Geeta stated, as she placed a fresh stack of pancakes on the table.

Both Luke and Leia reached out for the plate but were stopped as the plate floated away from them and came to land in front of Padmé.

"Ah ah ah, manners you two. Let your mother and Obi-Wan eat first, before you devour all of Geeta's supply", Anakin told his children.

Both children fell back in their seats and huffed as they finished the last of their pancakes. The adults helped themselves to breakfast before Anakin pushed the plate towards Luke and Leia.

"Now, if your stomachs will allow it, you can help yourselves", Anakin stated.

"Yay", the twins replied excitedly.

Padmé sat and watched the scene before her, smiling at her husband's wit and response to their children's enthusiasm. She was so excited they were going to have another child. She knew how much joy it would bring her, and Anakin and he was such a wonderful father.

"Your father and I have some news", Padmé announced, putting down her cutlery before she spoke.

"Do you have to go back to Coruscant?", Leia asked sadly.

"No sweetheart not yet. This is good news, wonderful news", Padmé replied with a warm smile. "I am pregnant. You are going to have a little brother or sister".

"What, no way! That is so cool mum", Luke replied.

"The baby survived the explosion mummy?", Leia asked curiously.

Padmé placed a hand on her still flat stomach gently and said, "Yes Leia. This baby is strong just like you, your brother and your father".

"And like your mother", Anakin added, resting his hand on top of his wife's.

"What are you going to name the baby?", Luke asked.

"We have a long time to think about that yet Luke", Padmé replied.

"Obi-Wan Junior has a nice ring to it", Anakin commented with a smile.

At his statement Obi-Wan choked on a small piece of pancake. He cleared his throat before saying, "With the greatest amount of respect, it really does not".

"We have plenty of time to think of a name, but we don't know if it a boy or a girl yet", Padmé told her children.

"It could be twins again", Leia stated excitedly.

"Perhaps. A part of me hopes it is just one child. I would never change you and Luke for the world Leia but carrying two babies was very hard. I continued to work as a Senator almost until you were born, and for most of it your father was away fighting in the Clone Wars", Padmé stated honestly.

"But this time it will be different. I will be here for you Padmé. I promise you won't go through this alone", Anakin promised his wife.

"Yes, mum and you have us and Obi-Wan and Geeta", Luke reminded her.

"Absolutely. I will always be here for all of you", Obi-Wan stated, smiling at them.

"I know. Thank you. I love you all very much", Padmé declared, turning to each person at the table and Geeta who was stood near the mantelpiece.

"Ooh mummy I know what we can do today", Luke announced excitedly.

"What is that sweetheart?", Padmé asked her son.

"We should show daddy the holos and videos you have from when we were babies", Luke said.

"That is a wonderful idea son. I would love to see them", Anakin stated.

"I would like to take the opportunity to train this morning. If we are going to face the Emperor, I do not want you to be worrying about me being below standard Anakin", Obi-Wan commented.

"Yes. I will have enough to be worrying about Master, without having to be concerned about losing you as well", Anakin stated.

"I will take the children for a walk around the lake and fields this morning. I believe you have some messages waiting for you from your troopers Anakin", Padmé informed her husband.

"Yes, you are correct. I need an update on the status of their investigation", Anakin remembered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Thank you for breakfast Geeta, it was delicious", Padmé told the woman as she cleared away the plates.

"Indeed, thank you so much for your hospitality. Can I help at all?", Obi-Wan asked chivalrously.

"No, I'm fine Master Kenobi. Please, go and enjoy your training", Geeta replied with a smile.

"Okay thank you. I will see you all later", Obi-Wan stated, before departing.

"Shall we go and get our swimsuits on in case we want a dip in the lake on our walk", Padmé asked her children.

"Yeah, good idea mum", Luke replied, getting up from the table.

"I will meet you both down here once we are dressed. Remember to wear some comfy shoes for walking", Padmé instructed her children.

"Yes, mum", the twins replied before heading up to their rooms.

"I need to retrieve my armour before I make my calls", Anakin stated, as him and his wife walked back towards their chambers.

When back in their room, Padmé searched for a swimsuit to wear before going into the fresher to change. Anakin routed around the room, searching for all parts of his armour. He slowly got dressed, despising the thought of becoming the masked monster he now loathed. His thoughts were broken when Padmé exited the fresher, braiding her chocolate brown hair.

"Do you need any help?", Padmé asked her husband, as he manoeuvred his large chest plate in an attempt to make it comfortable.

"I think I've got it. The suit is just very heavy and cumbersome. I cannot believe I wore it every day for 8 years", Anakin replied.

Padmé approached her husband and helped him fix the chest and shoulder plates in place as he stood towering over her in the suit of Vader.

"You look beautiful", Anakin told his wife, caressing her face with his gloved hand.

"Thank you. I suppose I should make the most of wearing a swimsuit like this before I get fat", Padmé commented, touching her still flat stomach lightly.

Anakin smiled at her comment and placed his hand over hers before saying, "Padmé you will always be beautiful to me, and you will never be more beautiful than when you are carrying our child".

"You always did know what to say", Padmé replied softly.

"I just wish I wasn't saying it to you wearing this suit", Anakin stated regretfully.

Padmé raised his sunken chin with her hand as their eyes met and she said, "It doesn't matter if you are wearing that suit Anakin, it doesn't change who you are. You have come back to us; you are Anakin Skywalker once again".

"What would I do without you?", Anakin asked his wife softly. After the words passed his lips he reflected on the statement and realised he knew the answer. Without Padmé in his life he would be that masked mechanical monster completely submerged in darkness and bitter regret.

"You won't ever have to find out Ani", Padmé replied, seeing the slightly pained look in his eyes.

"I should contact my troopers for an update", Anakin stated, knowing he was prolonging the inevitable.

Padmé nodded and then left the room, retrieving a skirt and towel before she did so. Anakin watched her leave before he put on his mask, not wanting to show his face as Vader around her.

"Lord Vader, Sir", the trooper responded, nodding in acknowledgement to his commander.

"What is the status of your investigation trooper? I have encountered a dead end in my own personal investigation off world. I believe the assailant and the one responsible for ordering the hit on Senator Soruna is from Coruscant", Vader stated. He wanted to make it clear to his trooper that he had been investigating the attack, but he also did not want to detract from the clear progress they were making from the leads on Coruscant.

"Lord Vader we pursued our investigation to attempt to establish a source of the purchase of the traced explosive debris. However, we have encountered an issue. The information that we believe may lead up to individual or group responsible cannot be accessed by myself or any trooper. The information is encrypted and requires the highest security clearance Sir", the trooper stated.

Anakin paused and considered his troopers words. It was obvious that whoever it was who ordered the assassination of Senator Soruna did not want it to traced back to them. For their accounts to be encrypted with such a high-level security clearance they must be someone of significant importance.

"If that is the case trooper, I will return to Coruscant to gain access to these files. If we are able to do so we should be able to trace the accounts to the individual responsible. I do not need to remind you trooper how sensitive this case is following what you have discovered. You must discuss this with no one other than myself. It is clear that whoever ordered the hit on Senator Soruna has done all they can to ensure their anonymity", Vader responded.

"Yes, My Lord. I shall await your arrival on Coruscant then Sir", the trooper replied.

As the holo image of his commander faded, Anakin took off his mask and sat down on the bed, rubbing his chin with his gloved hand. It was highly curious that the investigation into Padmé's or rather Senator Soruna's attempted assassination was cloaked in so much security. Anakin couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about all of this didn't feel right within the Force. He knew that sooner rather than later the investigation would reach its conclusion and they would know who was responsible for nearly killing his wife and himself. His fists clenched tightly as he thought back to that afternoon. Never again did he want to fear what he felt then. The terror he had felt in Padmé's heart when she believed she was going to die, and the fear in his own heart that his angel was going to die and he wasn't going to get there in time to save her. He shook his head as his thoughts threatened to take him down a dark path. Wanting to be free of the confines of his menacing suit, Anakin changed and headed out to find his family.

It did not take him long to locate his wife and children as they walked around the lake near the house. He watched them from afar proudly, basking in their beautiful force signatures and letting their light intoxicate him. Anakin knew that with them in his life, he would never again succumb to the darkness. He would never again by that heartless mechanical monster drowning in guilt. An idea came to Anakin suddenly and he smiled as he knelt down to pick up a beautiful purple flower growing just off the path from him. Using the Force, he then levitated the flower from his hand toward his wife who was walking behind their children as they chased one another in the long grass.

Padmé smiled as she watched her children laughing and playing as they attempted to catch one another in the grass. It was moments like this when she forgot about the troubles in the Galaxy. She forgot about who she was and her responsibilities. She was not Padmé Amidala, ex Queen and Senator of Naboo, and she was not the Black Widow, member of the Rebel Alliance. She was Padmé Skywalker, wife and mother, and she wanted to be nothing more. Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw something slowly floating towards her. Curiously, she walked further forward, until the object came to rest in her hands gently. Padmé brought the beautiful violet flower to her face and inhaled its fragrant scent. She turned to inspect her surroundings, knowing exactly who had delivered the gift.

"It's beautiful isn't it. It's a Leia I believe", Anakin stated, as his wife turned to see him leaning against one of the trees that forged the path ahead".

"It is. And it smells divine", Padmé commented, again bringing the flower up to her nose to smell it.

Anakin emerged from the shelter of the trees and came to stand next to his wife. He did not want to tell her that he had to return to Coruscant, so instead simply enjoyed the moment admiring his wife.

"Daddy!", both children shouted, as they ran down the path to see him.

"How was your call?", Padmé asked, keeping the topic vague in front of the children.

"Acceptable", he admitted. "I must return to Coruscant. There are some pressing matters that require my attention", he added.

At his words he saw the smiles of his children turn to frowns, as they realised that once again that they would be apart from their father.

"Why must you go daddy?", Leia asked, as the family started to walk back up the path towards the house.

"Do you remember the accident that mummy and daddy were in? Well I am in charge of finding out who's fault it was. And unfortunately, some information that we need is locked to anyone but me. So, I have to go and get this information so we can catch the bad man", Anakin did his best to explain.

"Can't you just give someone else the key to unlock the information?", Luke asked.

Anakin smiled at his son's response and replied, "I wish I could son. There is nothing more that I want than to stay here with all of you. I love you all so much".

"And soon the Emperor will be dead wont he dad, and then you never have to go away again", Leia stated.

"That's right Leia. I am going to be right here with all of you, where I belong", he told her with a smile.

Padmé walked alongside her husband, enjoying listening to her family's conversation. She had been amazed at how well Anakin had managed to explain things to the twins, despite the complexity of it all. And she knew that more than anyone Anakin wanted the Emperor to be dead, so they could end this war, end the deception, and be together like they always wanted.

"Okay, let's head inside and have some food and then we can show your father some of the holovids", Padmé stated as they neared the entrance to the estate. She had barely finished her words before the twins ran inside to great Geeta in the kitchen.

Anakin smiled as his children ran excitedly towards the house at the prospect of food. He turned to his wife as they walked along the stone path up towards the house.

"How are you feeling Angel?", he asked softly.

"Much better. It usually passes after the morning, and now that I know what it is, it feels much more worthwhile", Padmé replied.

"I wish there was some way I could take away the sickness", Anakin stated, hating to see his wife ill.

"Don't worry Ani. It doesn't last for the whole pregnancy. And when our baby is here, it will only be a faint memory and nothing compared to the joy this child will bring us", his wife replied.

Anakin took his wife's hand and kissed it softly and said, "I couldn't agree more Padmé. Come on, let's join Luke and Leia before there is no food left. You know what they're like", he commented with a smile as he opened the door for Padmé into the house.

"Master, Madam Skywalker, I have made some soup for you all if you would like some", Geeta stated, as the couple entered the kitchen to see their children and Obi-Wan sitting at the table.

"It smells delicious Geeta", Padmé commented with a smile, as she went to take a seat next to her daughter.

"How was your training Obi-Wan?", Anakin asked his old master as he sat down next to him at the table.

"I certainly am not as young as I used to be. But I have to admit that I have missed training like we used to. The last 8 years have consisted mostly of meditation for me. My connection to the Force has grown, but I am afraid I am not as physically strong and fit as I once was", he informed the group as they ate.

"Excellent. So, it looks like I am going to be saving your skin for the tenth time", Anakin commented wryly.

"We shall see, Anakin", Obi-Wan replied.

Once the group had eaten, Padmé took Luke and Leia into the living room to set up the holos they wished to show their father while Anakin and Obi-Wan helped Geeta clear up the plates.

"I'm afraid I must return to Coruscant", Anakin told his former master.

"Is that so?", Obi-Wan stated.

"It appears that the investigation into Padmé's attempted assassination has encountered a rather interesting problem. We have traced the credit path from the bomb materials to an Imperial account. However, the details to this account are locked and only available to those with the highest security clearance. Consequently, I need to return to gain access to this information.", Anakin informed Obi-Wan.

"Interesting", the older Jedi replied, stroking his beard slowly.

"I have been treading a fine line coming here for this long without the Emperor's explicit permission. He ordered me to find the assailant, but I also have responsibilities amongst the Empire, most notably the Death Star. And now I am facing pressure from the Alliance to find a weakness for that monstrosity so that we can end this war. I also need to devise a way to destroy the Emperor, while keeping Padmé and the children safe, and now that she is pregnant again the risk is higher and …", Anakin said, becoming increasingly apprehensive as he spoke.

Obi-Wan placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, calming him down. "Calm down, Anakin. Breathe", he told him. "I know there is a lot on your mind, and I know there isn't anything I can do to alleviate any of those worries. But all I can tell you is that you are not alone. You won't have to do any of this alone. Soon you will get what you deserve, and you will be able to be with your family free of these heavy burdens of responsibility", he continued.

"I appreciate your concern Master and I know you have offered your help in defeating the Emperor. But a lot of this I must do alone. I must engage with my commanders alone regarding this investigation and then I need to inform the Emperor once we have found the responsible party. I also need to continue my work alongside the Governing board for the Death Star. I am also the only person who can review all of the schematics and possibly find a weakness that the Rebellion can exploit", Anakin replied.

"I know Anakin", Obi-Wan stated simply.

"I don't want to worry Padmé, because she has enough to worry about and she has been through so much already. Now that she is pregnant, I cannot burden her with my concerns. I just worry I will not be able to do all that has been asked of me", Anakin stated honestly, running his human hand through his tousled locks.

"Anakin. People have asked a lot of you since you were a young boy. I have seen you face so many challenges and emerge successful. You have grown into a much better man than I could have ever hoped you could be. You were burdened with the title of being 'The Chosen One', but you have far surpassed what was promised of that. I am proud to say you were my padawan Anakin. Do not doubt all that you have achieved and will do so in the future. Your accomplishments will live beyond you, but they will be told throughout history, and your stories will live vicariously through your children", Obi-Wan told him reassuringly.

Anakin paused for a moment, finding comfort in his words. He then turned to him and bowed softly before saying, "Thank you Master. For everything".

Obi-Wan smiled in response, before Luke came charging into the room.

"Come on dad, we've got all the holos set up", Luke announced, indicating for his father to follow him with the wave of his small hand.

"I'm coming son", Anakin stated, as he followed his son's guide.

Anakin entered the living room, and found Padmé sat on the sofa with Luke and Leia taking their seats on the floor directly in front of her. He moved to occupy the seat next to his wife, but then pulled her onto his lap, caressing her back with his gloved hand. Padmé kissed his cheek softly, before Luke signalled for the holos to start playing.

Anakin had not been prepared for effect that seeing the holos would have on him. One by one he saw the beautiful images appear, moving through time from when the twins were first born to them growing up. Tears sprang to his eyes as he watched videos play of the children taking their first steps, saying their first words, and even seeing Luke levitate his teddy bear with the Force for the first time. He couldn't help but think about all that he had missed over the years, when he had been encased in his suit as the mechanical monster Vader. He had lost over 8 years of his beautiful children's lives and missed so many incredible moments. As he tightened his hold around his wife and inhaled the sweet smell of her hair, he wondered how he ever managed to go so long without her, and worse than that he had lived believing he had killed her; his angel.

Anakin blinked away the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks as the holo player continued to scroll through more and more pictures. As they approached the end, a smile beamed across Anakin's face as he saw a picture of the four of them appear. It has been one that Geeta had taken when they first came here together. It was the first holo that they had together as a family, and Anakin knew there would be so many more to come.

As the holos ended, Padmé turned to her husband as she sat on his lap and said, "Did you like that Ani?"

Anakin smiled at his wife and then his children and replied, "Yes. That was beautiful. Thank you so much for showing me. I know an apology can never make up for all I have missed in your lives. But I am the luckiest man alive to be here with you now, and I promise I will never leave you ever again. I cannot wait for us to make so many more memories together as a family, and with your new brother or sister".

"It wasn't your fault daddy", Leia stated. "Besides, we have so much time to take holos together", she added.

"Yeah dad. And when this baby comes, you'll get to see the things you missed with us", Luke said softly.

"Yes, son you're right. But that doesn't change the fact that I was not here for those things with you and Leia. But I will spend the rest of your lives trying to make up for that, and I love you both and your mother, and new brother or sister more than anything in this galaxy", Anakin told his children passionately.

"Group hug", Leia said excitedly.

At the words Luke and Leia stood from their seated position and jumped on their mother and father on the sofa, where they all tightly embraced one another.

"I love you all so much", Anakin told his children and wife, kissing each of them on the forehead softly.

"We love you too daddy", the twins replied.

"I love you Ani", Padmé stated, running a hand through her husband's hair.


	36. Chapter 36 - Investigations

"Now, you two. I think it is time for bed. It has been a very fun and busy last few days, and you need to sleep." Padmé told her children.

"But we want to spend more time with daddy, before he goes away." Leia replied, hoping it would help her cause of wanting to stay up for longer.

"I will not be gone for long sweetheart, I promise you. I would miss you, Luke and your mother too much to be gone long." Anakin told her, kissing her forehead softly.

"Besides sweety, your father is going to bed because he has to be up early, I am going to sleep. There is no one left to play with until tomorrow." Padmé told her daughter, hoping to convince her.

"Yeah Leia, we can play again tomorrow." Luke said encouragingly, as his mother smiled at his comment.

"Exactly Luke. And your father will be back before you know it." Padmé told them.

"Can you put us to bed, daddy?" Luke asked his father.

"Of course." Anakin replied, as he picked each of his children up in his strong arms and headed out of the room towards their chambers.

"I will come and kiss you goodnight in a moment." Padmé told her children, as she saw Obi-Wan approaching.

"Anakin told me he is departing for Coruscant in the morning." Obi-Wan said, once the children had left the room with their father.

"Yes, he is." Padmé replied. "He needs to go to access some high security information that apparently will give them a lead into who was responsible for the attack at the Senate." she added. "I think he is hoping he will not be gone long, that he can acquire the information and then return." Padmé explained, trying to reassure herself as much as Obi-Wan.

"I have no doubt Anakin is eager to return. He loves you all very much Padmé." Obi-Wan said with a smile.

"Yes. He misses the twins so much when he is gone. I cannot believe how quickly they have developed such a strong bond. It is more than I could have ever hoped for." Padmé stated happily.

"Indeed. You are all very lucky to have one another. But you all deserve every bit of happiness Padmé." Obi-Wan replied.

"Thank you Obi-Wan, for everything. And I consider you a part of this family too." She told the Jedi Master sincerely.

"That means more than I can say Padmé." The Jedi stated humbly. "Please tell Anakin, I wish him the best on his mission and that I will see him upon his return, where we can begin to make further plans." Obi-Wan added.

"I will. Goodnight Obi-Wan, sleep well." Padmé told him, as they parted ways and Padmé headed to meet her husband and children.

When she entered Leia's room she heard what she assumed was Anakin finishing a bedtime story to the twins as her husband said, "And then the beautiful Senator took the hand of the Jedi and the holy man watched as they exchanged vows. The Senator's veil blew in the soft wind as the sunset on Lake Varykino. It was the end of best day of the young Jedi's life, but it was the start of the best adventure of his life."

Padmé stood in the doorway and smiled as she said softly, "And what an adventure it has been."

Anakin turned around to face his wife, as Luke and Leia both looked up at their mother with a smile. "Okay you two, troublemakers. Time for bed now that the story is over." Anakin said, as he tucked Leia into bed and kissed her goodnight.

Anakin led Luke out of the room as Padmé kissed her daughter goodnight, before following her husband into Luke's room. "Goodnight my boy. Be good and look after your mother and sister okay." Anakin said to his son. "Yes, daddy." Luke replied as his father ran his human hand through his sandy blonde hair. Padmé smiled, before she wished her son goodnight and walked back to their chambers with her husband.

"Do you know how long you will be gone?" Padmé asked him, reminding herself of all the times she would ask him the same question during the Clone Wars before he would leave on a mission.

"No." Anakin replied. "But I can promise you I will return as soon as possible. I cannot stand being apart from you and the twins, and least of all now that you are pregnant again Padmé, and I promise you that you will not go through this pregnancy alone, like you did during the Clone Wars." Anakin swore, also remembering back to that time.

Anakin got into bed as his wife disappeared into the fresher to prepare for bed. He sat up against the bed with his arms behind his head, feeling very at peace with his wife's soothing presence nearby. He opened one eye when he heard the fresher door open and could not resist the bright smile that came across his face upon seeing her. Wordlessly, he reached out and took her hand, guiding her into bed where she snuggled up next to him, her head resting on his bare chest.

As he breathed in the sweet scent of her hair, he said to her softly, "You know you still make me feel like you did all those years ago Padmé. Your presence is intoxicating to me. You are in my very soul. I don't know how I lived without you for 8 years," he admitted.

Padmé looked up into his piercing blue eyes and kissed his chest softly. "No neither do I. But I guess in a way, neither of us did. You spent eight years living in darkness as Darth Vader, and I too lived my life as the black widow, because neither of us could live as ourselves without the other." She told him.

"You are right my love." Anakin told his wife, kissing the top of her head. "I was in the depths of darkness, and the only thing that could bring me back to the light was you, you and our beautiful children."

"And you will never have to go through that again, Ani. We are here with you now, and you are coming back to the light." Padmé told him, resting her head back on her husband's chest as he pulled her as close to him as he could.

They remained silent for a few moments, before Padmé asked her husband, "Will you have to see the Emperor while you are on Coruscant?"

Anakin paused before saying, "I am not sure. It depends what I am able to ascertain from the investigation. If there are some fruitful developments, I would prefer to tell him now, as it will buy me more time if he feels he is being kept appraised of my activities."

"I just hate the thought of you being near that awful man, Ani. I am so scared of him hurting you." Padmé confided sadly.

Anakin ran his hand through her hair to comfort her and said, "Don't worry about me, Angel. I will be fine. There is no guarantee I will even have to see him. I just need to show my face on Coruscant so they believe I am engaging fully in the investigation, then I can return back here to you and our children. That is all I want." He told her softly.

"Just come back to us quickly Anakin. I have always hated seeing you leave." Padmé admitted. "You would think after the number of times we have done it; it would get easier." She added.

Anakin shook his head and replied, "Padmé, the sacrifices you made for the Republic, for me, for our relationship, were far beyond what anyone could have ever asked of you. I know it was never fair to ask you to wait for me, when I went away on missions across the Galaxy, unsure when I would return or even when I would be able to contact you. But you did it anyway, and how many times you did that does not at all mitigate how difficult it was for you every time we had to say goodbye."

Padmé was moved by her husband's words and simply snuggled into his strong, warm body more. Anakin kissed the top of his wife's head again and whispered to her, "Let's go to sleep, Angel. I will wake you before I depart in the morning." Padmé nodded her head, as she closed her eyes and basked in the comfort of her husband's presence, before falling into a deep slumber.

Early the next morning, Anakin awoke, and reluctantly prepared to depart for Coruscant. He got changed quickly, as to not disturb his still sleeping wife. It pained him to leave her and the twins behind here, but he knew that if he were to continue to convince the Emperor of his loyalty, he could not arouse his suspicions. He put his boots on and attached his lightsaber to the hilt of his belt, as well as gathering his mask and armour. Once he was ready, he approached his wife's side of the bed and knelt down next to her. "I will see you soon, Angel. I love you." Anakin told her as he kissed her softly on the lips. Padmé stirred slightly and reached out a hand to caress his cheek. "Be careful, Ani." She whispered to him. He kissed her hand, basking in her glowing presence one last time, before he stood and left the room, heading for the hangar bay. He knew if he did not leave right now, then he never would.

When Lord Vader arrived on Coruscant, he was on a mission. He had informed his commanders of his imminent arrival and to have all information ready at their disposal, hoping the investigation would be concluded and an assailant discovered.

"Lord Vader, Sir." A trooper greeted him with a salute as he disembarked his ship, and hastily tried to keep up with his commander's long and fast strides.

"Report, trooper." Vader said shortly.

"We have the encoded information prepared in Meeting Room 1 Sir. We just need your security clearance to be able to access the information." The trooper told him, trying not to appear breathless.

"Alright." Vader stated, as him and the trooper made their way towards the meeting room, where he hoped his clearance would bring a swift end to the investigation.

Several moments later, Vader and the trooper entered the Meeting room, and were greeted by several of the troopers Vader had placed in charge of the investigation, including the Commander who had reported to him directly. "I am sure you are all aware of the sensitivity of the information that my security clearance may unveil. I do not need to remind any of you the importance of complete confidentiality. Should I find that any of you have breached that oath, you will meet your end at my hand, I can assure you." Vader boomed, ensuring he had the attention of all in the room.

"Yes, Lord Vader." They all replied in unison, a clear attempt to hide any traces of fear in their voices.

Vader walked over to the data terminal and entered his authorisation chip and code. Immediately, the encoded information began to become unscrambled and Vader said, "I want the name of the individual whose account was responsible for purchasing the explosives in an hour's time. Do not fail me." With his instruction clear, Vader turned and left the meeting room, content that his officers would stop at no ends to acquire the necessary information. Once Anakin had left the room, he found himself trying to calm the raging emotions once again swirling around inside of him. He had found it increasingly challenging to continue his appearance as Vader, and he could feel the temptations of the dark side attempting to pull him closer again. He closed his eyes and immediately tried to reach into the light side of the force, beckoning thoughts of his wife and children to his mind. But he continually found himself being assaulted by thoughts of the dark side, and the emotions it conveyed, anger, hatred, pain.

"No, I will not give in." Anakin said determinedly, as he paced up and down the dark corridor, feeling the conflict building within him. He knew a lot of it had to do with the demons he faced on Coruscant. On this planet, in the office of the then Chancellor Palpatine, he pledged himself to the dark side and the teachings of his master in order to save Padmé. On this planet, he had stormed the Jedi temple, and killed at those inside of it, even the younglings. He would never forget the looks of fear on their little faces as he cut them down. He did all of those unforgiveable things, in the name of one man. And that man had lied to him, and subjected him to years of torture, making him believe he had killed his beloved wife and his children. Anger swelled within Anakin as his hatred for the Emperor overwhelmed him. "Ahhh," Anakin shouted in frustration as he slammed his durasteel hand into the nearby wall, crushing the concrete as the sound of the metal hitting the wall echoed down the corridor.

His torrid emotions were interrupted by the signalling of his comm device. He groaned inwardly at the disruption but realised if it was Padmé he wanted to make sure she was alright. "Vader." He said simply into the device.

"Lord Vader, I trust I did not wake you." Tarkin said at the other end of the comm.

"What do you want, Tarkin?" Vader demanded coldly.

"I just wanted to enquire as to how your review of the Death Star schematics are going. I believe it was a task assigned to you by the Emperor." Tarkin stated slyly.

Vader clenched his fists at Tarkin's comment and replied, "In case it had escaped your notice, Governor, I have been occupied with the investigation into the Senate attack."

"Oh yes, the unfortunate assassination attempt on the Senator from Naboo." Tarkin acknowledged. "It appears that that planet has a habit of electing Senator's who have a death wish." He added. "Although from what I understand the Senator was most fortunate that you arrived in time to save her."

"You are walking a dangerous line Tarkin. You are diverting my attention away from important matters. What do you want before I terminate this call?" Vader threatened.

"You are aware, Vader, that this project is of the highest importance to the Emperor, and therefore, I would have assumed it would also be to yourself. I am aware that the Emperor has commanded your input on the matter, so I expect to hear from you soon." Tarkin stated arrogantly.

"I will review the schematics once I have completed my duties in this investigation. Wait for me to contact you, Governor." Vader snapped, ending the call, furious at the disrespect Tarkin dared to show him.

Pacing like a caged animal stalking its prey, Vader saw a lone trooper, who bravely approached the dark lord, despite having seen the destruction he had just caused. "Lord Vader, Sir. We have a name." he reported swiftly.

Anakin immediately tried to quash his raging anger as he turned to the trooper and nodded. He then started down the corridor, back towards the meeting room, as the trooper again struggled to keep up with his pace.

"What do you have to report, Commander?" Vader demanded as he entered the meeting room, causing all heads to turn in his direction.

"We have a name from the account who purchased the explosive My Lord. Ennis Mure." The Commander reported, handing Lord Vader a report, that had just been completed.

Vader heard the name said aloud, and immediately found it curious that he had not heard of the man before. Surely, if an individual had accrued that significant amount of wealth and had acquired the equipment for the explosives, Vader would know of him. "Where is he? I want him detained and prepared for my interrogation." Vader ordered.

The trooper paused, clearly waiting to relay more information to his commander. "That's the thing, Sir. You see he …"

"What is it, Commander?" Vader interrupted impatiently.

"He is dead, Sir." The trooper stated. "His records show that he very recently died of an undisclosed accident. He wasn't young, but his medical records show he experienced no health problems and was in keen health for a man in his fifties." he added.

Vader paused upon hearing this information. How curious that his only lead, the man he believed was responsible for attempting to murder his wife was now dead, or a supposed 'accident'. His eyes narrowed in suspicion under his mask as more questions formed in his mind. "Very well, trooper. I shall report this to the Emperor and see whether he deems any further investigation necessary." Vader stated, knowing he could not prolong the inevitable need to report this to his master. "You are dismissed. I will contact you with further orders." He added, before turning on his heel and leaving the room, his long black cloak flowing behind him.

When Anakin reached the Emperor's office, he stopped in front of his guards and boomed, "Tell the Emperor I wish to see him." The guard nodded, before entering the office to inform his master. He returned a moment later and bowed in respect to the Sith Lord, before permitting him to enter. Anakin paused for a moment, ensuring he had erected strong mental barriers in his mind, keeping his family protected from the monster that awaited. As he strode into his master's office, his boots echoed on the hard floor, announcing his presence to the older man.


	37. Chapter 37 - Questioning

"Ahh Lord Vader, I was wondering when I was going to hear from you, my apprentice." Sidious stated, as he turned his chair to face the approaching Sith Lord.

Vader knelt submissively in front of his master, hating the constant need to be subservient to the old man, "My Master, I have come to inform you of some developments made in the investigation into the explosion at the Senate. We have traced the explosives used to a bank account of Ennis Mure. He was the individual responsible for purchasing the equipment needed to produce the explosives. However, we know he was not the one who planted the bomb, as that individual, Zed Dunn, died in the explosion."

Sidious bought a hand to his chin curiously and said, "Interesting. So, I take it you are going to arrest this Ennis Mure, Lord Vader?"

Vader paused for a moment before saying, "It appears that the late Ennis Mure died recently. His records show he died of an undisclosed 'accident'" Vader reported, not hiding the suspicion in his voice.

"I see." the Emperor stated simply. Vader could not shake the feeling that the Emperor was not entirely surprised by this revelation, and so attempted to penetrate the walls of his mind and establish what his master was hiding.

Breaking Vader's concentration, the Emperor stood up and said, "Well, that is unfortunate that justice will not be served for the old fools' attack on Senator Soruna. However, we must be thankful that herself, nor you, my apprentice, perished in this cowardly attack."

Something about his master's words clicked in Vader's mind and he could not help but say, "Old fool? Zed Dunn was a young man from the underworld of Coruscant, Master. Are you referring to Ennis Mure?"

Realising his mistake of stated familiarity, the Emperor detracted from his point and said, "It was merely a statement of character of the coward who ordered the assassination, my servant."

Vader couldn't help but press the issue, his curiosity growing as he countered, "Indeed Master, but you are correct, Ennis Mure was uncharacteristically old for a paid assassin. From my experience of profiling these characters, they tend to be young, highly skilled …"

"Are you questioning me, Lord Vader?" the Emperor spat.

Immediately Vader knew he had hit a nerve. He knew his Master's outburst was because he had made a mistake, a mistake that Vader had noticed. _He knew Ennis Mure_, Vader reflected. _Was it him who ordered the assassination?_ He thought suddenly.

"I apologise, Master. It is just that you seemed to refer to Ennis Mure as if you had been acquainted with him." Vader replied, trying to backtrack his words, realising this would not end well for him.

"I do not care what you thought, Vader. It is of no concern to you, who I am acquainted with. And you will be punished for your slander." He stated wickedly.

"Master, I did not mean to offend you, I …"

Vader did not have a chance to finish his sentence before he was laying crippled on the floor, his body engulfed in force lightning. He felt the burning overwhelm him, as he tried to focus on keeping his mental walls strong, knowing that at all costs, he had to protect his wife and children.

"I would think you would have learnt by now Vader, that I am your Master, and I will not accept your insolence", Sidious spat. "And yet, again, you have questioned me."

"No, Master." Vader said weakly as pain filled him.

Sidious cackled, knowing he was going to enjoy this. Lord Vader had proven to not break under the affects of Sith Lightning, and so he decided on other forms of torture, as the wicked ideas crossed his mind.

Vader felt the pain rip through his body as his blood stained his thick cloak and then poured out onto the floor below him. He was helpless but to release an agonising scream as the torture continued and he felt as though his back was on fire.

After what felt like an eternity, Vader felt Sidious finish his torrent of abuse before faintly hearing him say, "Now, leave me. I consider this to be the end of your investigation. You have more pressing matters to attend to Lord Vader, and I expect to be kept appraised of your activities. Do not give me another reason to remind you of your place."

It took all of Vader's strength to stand from the foetal position he had been in on the ground and face his Master. He had not felt pain like this since Mustafar, but he knew he could not show weakness in front of Sidious, and having established he was likely responsible for ordering the assassination of Padmé, he was determined to return to his family and ensure their safety.

"Yes, My Master." was all Anakin could muster to say, before he staggered out of the room, blood seeping from his wounds profusely. He forced himself to walk straight as many of his troopers attempted to aid their commander on his way to his ship, seeing the trail of blood he was leaving behind him. When he reached his ship, he removed his mask, it dropping to the cabin floor with a large crash as he set his coordinates for Alderaan and collapsed into the pilot's chair, losing consciousness.

On Alderaan, Padmé had just finished giving the twins a bath and had returned to the kitchen to retrieve them both a glass of milk and a cookie. She knew how much they missed their father, despite having not been gone long, but the bond they shared, their Force bond, was something she would never truly understand, and she sometimes envied that connection that Anakin had with their children. As Padmé walked back to the twin's rooms she was concerned by her children's anxious expressions as they both sat on Luke's bed together.

"What's wrong?" Padmé asked as she placed the milk and cookies down next to them.

"It's dad, he's in pain. We can feel it mum." Luke told her; sadness painted on his face.

Padmé did her best to hide the sickening concern that threatened to show on her face as she said, "Hey now, what have I told you about your father. He is the strongest, bravest and best Jedi in the Galaxy. If you can feel him that means he is alive, and he will be just fine I promise you." She told her children reassuringly as she ran her hand through her daughter's chocolate brown hair.

"How do you know mum?" Leia asked softly.

Padmé did her best to force a small smile and said, "Because your father promised me that he would always be here to look after us, and your father has never once broken a promise to me. I know that he loves you two more than anything in the Galaxy, and he will always come back to you." She told them, passing them both their cookies and milk.

"And he loves you mum. He loves you so much." Luke added, taking a sip of his milk.

"Yes, he does. And I love your father too, so much. He will be home soon. Perhaps he has just been training too hard again. You know how intense his training sessions can be." She added, trying to force down the bile that was beginning to rise up her stomach.

"Now, time for bed okay. We have got another day of fun tomorrow and I want you both to have lots of sleep." Padmé told her children as she picked Leia up in her arms and kiss Luke on the head softly. "Goodnight, my sweet boy." She told him.

Padmé tucked her daughter in bed and kissed her goodnight, before turning their lights out and heading down to the living area. She was greeted by Geeta who was just finishing cleaning the kitchen. "Are you alright, Milady?" Geeta asked, seeing the visible look of concern on Padmé's face.

"The children said they could feel that Anakin is in pain. I have not heard from him, but it's making me sick to think that something may have happened to him." Padmé told the woman who moved out of the kitchen and into the living area to join her.

Geeta was unsure what to say for several moments. She placed a consoling hand on Padmé's shoulder and said, "I know how frightening this must be for you Milady. But your husband is one of the strongest and most powerful men in the Galaxy, and I do not doubt that he would cross the whole of Hoth to be with you and your children. I am sure he will be home soon. You should try and get some sleep, Milady. Think of your little one as well." she added with a small smile.

Padmé wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks as she looked at the kind woman and said, "Thank you Geeta. I will retire soon. I'm just going to stay up for a little while, maybe try and leave a message on his comm to check on him." She added, forcing a small smile.

"If you are sure Miss Padmé. Is there anything I can get for you before I retire, Milady?" Geeta asked kindly.

"No, thank you Geeta. Thank you so much for all you have done, I am truly grateful." Padmé said sincerely, smiling at her as she bowed slightly before departing for her quarters down the long corridor.

"Where are you, Anakin?" Padmé said aloud quietly, unable to stop the sinking feeling that was rising within her. Deciding her ruminations were getting her nowhere she made her way to Anakin's office to attempt to contact him. She knew there was no chance she would get any sleep until she had heard from him and knew he was safe.

Padmé sat at her husband's desk and input his comm frequency, hoping he would answer, and her worries would be calmed by the reassurance of his response. She was distressed to get no reply but concluded that if he were in a meeting or with the Emperor, he would be unable to answer the call. She released a heavy sigh as she fell back into the large chair and ran a hand through her tousled brown locks.

Anakin was broken from his unconscious state by his navigation panel's incessant beeping, informing him that he had entered Alderaani airspace and his shuttle was preparing to land at his establishments. He groaned as the intense pain he was in overwhelmed him again, but he was grateful that he was going to be home with his family, and he could treat his wounds once he knew they were safe.

Padmé was broken from her reverie by the computer panel's incessant beeping, informing her that a shuttle had entered the landing port of the establishments. Immediately, Padmé got up from her chair and ran straight towards the hangar bay, her heart thumping painfully in her chest.

Anakin pushed himself up from the cabin chair and opened the shuttle hatch, slowly descending the ramp into the hangar bay of his establishments. He was shocked to be greeted by his wife, who had a clear look of concern on her face.

"Anakin!" Padmé shouted, reaching him as he staggered down the shuttle ramp.

"Padmé." He said, his voice a faint whisper as he fought to remain conscious.

"What happened to you? Oh my God, Anakin!" Padmé cried, as she saw blood dripping from her husband's boots and cape.

"Help me get to our chambers Padmé. I can heal myself. Just … just help me get there." He replied weakly as he began to walk down the long hallway towards their bedchambers.

"No. You need to go to the medical bay, Anakin. You need to see someone." Padmé begged. "Why didn't you get help on Coruscant? Why have you come back straight away?" Padmé asked, as she struggled to support the weight of her husband's nearly unconscious body as they staggered forward.

"No, Padmé. I just need to lie down … rest. I can heal … myself." He whispered; his voice barely audible.

Padmé could hardly see in front of her, for the tears that glossed over her eyes were blurring her vision. She had so many questions to ask him; What had happened? Who had done this to him and why? Why had he come straight back?

Padmé helped Anakin get to their bedchambers and he stumbled onto their bed, grateful to have finally arrived at his desired destination. "Let me help you." Padmé said desperately, trying to control her torrid emotions. She moved over to her husband and as gently as possible started to remove his boots, cloak and outer shirt. She ran into the fresher and retrieved several cloths and a bowl of warm water.

When Padmé returned she realised the wounds had to be located on his back, for their bed was now stained with blood. She moved a pillow under his head and tried to make him comfortable, as she said to him, "You need to help me get your shirt off Ani. I need to tend to your wounds."

By this point Anakin was hardly able to hear his wife and had his eyes shut, trying to draw on the Force to help him cope with the pain. He forced himself up enough so that he could start to remove his shirt that was dripping in his blood, as Padmé helped him get it over his head. She quickly brought a cool cloth to his forehead, trying to cool him down, feeling how his tortured body was burning up.

It took every ounce of Padmé's restraint to not lose control and break down completely as she focused her mind on the task at hand. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and said, "Anakin, I need you to roll over, I need to see your wounds, please." She begged, wanting to do all she could, hoping she had not made an error in bringing him here instead of insisting on him going to the medical bay.

Wordlessly, Anakin complied, rolling onto his side as he released a loud groan of obvious pain. Padmé could not hide the gaps that escaped her lips, following by several cries of despair as she looked upon her husband's injuries. He had at least a dozen open wounds on his back, some of which were so deep she was sure had ripped through his muscles. "Oh, Anakin." Padmé cried, as she dipped a cloth into the bowl of warm water and started to dab at the wounds. "Who did this to you?" she asked as floods of tears cascaded down her cheeks. She religiously continued to wash each his heinous wounds, as well as all the blood that had stained his chest, stomach and neck. Anakin had not said a word for a long time, and Padmé was unsure whether he was unconscious or in a meditative state trying to heal himself. Overwhelmed by the amount of blood, Padmé walked into the fresher to wash her hands and arms that were covered in her husband's blood. She returned moments later with a clean bowl of warm water, and she resumed her position kneeling beside the bed next to her husband as she again started to clean his wounds. Her eyes were again drawn to the large scars on his back that read her name, and her heart broke thinking of all her husband had suffered at the hands of the Emperor. _Soon he will pay for all he has done, to Anakin, to this family, to the Galaxy_, Padmé thought.

It didn't take long before Padmé started to see that several of the wounds appeared to look smaller and had began to close, leaving only a small and faint mark as a reminder. She could not believe what she was seeing, as she had never seen Anakin use the Force to heal himself like this and had only seen his healing powers once used on her after the explosion. Soon after, a combination of exhaustion and the shocking bombardment of emotions that she had experienced overwhelmed her, and she felt her body succumb to sleep as she rested her head against the bed as she remained kneeling on the floor.

Several hours later, Anakin peeled his eyes open, the events that had transpired since his arrival back at his establishments a bit of a blur. It did not take him long to realise, however, that he owed everything to his wife, who he was shocked to see appeared to be asleep in uncomfortable position right beside him. An immediate wave of emotions hit him as he realised that Padmé had not left his side and had tended to his wounds whilst he had dived deep into the Force to heal himself. He got up off the bed slowly, still feeling fatigued from the torture he had endured and the taxation of healing his injuries. Anakin immediately noted that their bed was covered in his blood and concluded he did not want his wife to be sleeping there. Effortlessly, he lifted Padmé into his arms and carried her out of their bedchambers and down the corridor to one of the several spare rooms the establishments had to offer. Anakin couldn't help but admire his wife's sleeping form as he placed her down on the bed gently and pulled the covers up over her, before joining her in the bed. He immediately felt drawn to her warm presence and pulled her in close, his arms wrapping around her softly but protectively.

"Ani." Padmé whispered, half asleep, clearly believing she was dreaming.

Anakin kissed her bare shoulder softly and whispered, "I'm right here Angel, I'm just fine. Sleep now."

Clearly exhausted by all that had transpired, Padmé exhaled deeply and fell back to sleep, comforted by the feeling of her husband's arms around her.

The next morning, Padmé awoke to the sun breaking through the small gap in the curtains that covered the large bedroom window. She squinted and brought a hand over her eyes, as a sudden wave of confusion hit her. _What happened last night? _She thought to herself. _Anakin! He was injured! _She realised, panic filling her. She looked around the room quickly, confusion filling her again as she realised, she was not in her and Anakin's room. She rubbed her eyes tiredly as she turned to look at the other side of the bed, which she noted looked as though it had been slept in, but she was now alone.

Padmé felt her anxiety grow as she got out of bed and exited the bedroom, realising the room she was in, was down the corridor from the master bedroom her and Anakin shared. Wanting answers, she walked into the room and found it empty, but also noted that the bed had been stripped of all its sheets. _Blood. The bed was covered in blood, Anakin's blood! _She remembered suddenly, the vision playing vividly in her mind. Padmé saw that the glass doors out to the balcony were open slightly, and she hoped she would find her husband out there and get some answers about last night. She was disappointed when she saw no sign of her husband on the balcony and she ran a hand through her hair in frustration. Her nightgown and hair blew softly in the wind as Padmé took a minute to calm herself and look out at the beautiful view the balcony offered her as the warm sun started to rise up into the sky.

"I can't decide which view is more beautiful, you or the sunrise." Anakin stated, startling his wife, who turned to see him leaning in the doorway admiring her.

"Anakin!", Padmé exclaimed, as she ran into her husband's arms, the wave of emotions crashing down on her as tears filled her eyes and she said, "You're okay. Last night you ... you ... the blood ... your back." She stammered, struggling to piece together exactly what had happened.

Anakin gently placed his human hand on her warm cheek and smiled softly, "I'm fine Angel. I'm healed now. And I cannot thank you enough for what you did for me last night. I'm so sorry I scared you like that."

Padmé looked at her husband for a moment, simply processing the fact that he was standing before her, clearly alright. Memories of the night before flashed in her mind as she brought her hand to her mouth and let out a small cry. "Anakin, it was horrible. What happened to you? Did the Emperor do that to you?" she asked, needing to know.

Anakin sighed, not wanting to worry her about what had transpired, but he knew she would not let it go until he told her everything. He simply nodded before saying, "He was most … displeased with me." He then continued, "I challenged him on something he said when I met with him following the information we acquired. He was outraged that I would dare to question him, and he punished me for my slander."

"Oh, Anakin!" Padmé cried, her voice breaking as she spoke the words. "I can't believe he did that to you. To make you suffer like that." She couldn't bare to think about how much pain he must have been in, and yet he had returned here straight away instead of seeking treatment on Coruscant. "Why did you come back here immediately? You needed help, Anakin." Padmé asked.

Anakin looked into her doe brown eyes and said, "I questioned the Emperor because he expressed a sense of familiarity with the man who acquired the materials for the Senate bomb. My first thought was I had to return here to you and our children, because I think the Emperor may have been the one who ordered the attack."

Padmé looked at him shocked and then asked, "The Emperor ordered my assassination?" She struggled to string more words together, before she collected herself and asked, "Does he know who I am?"

Anakin shook his head and explained, "I did not get that impression from his thoughts. The Emperor believes that Senator Soruna's usefulness has expired. I have theorised that he planned to eliminate you subtly while I was off world. What he did not consider was that I would return and save you, nor that the assailant would blow up half of the lower levels of the Senate."

"Okay." Padmé replied, trying to process what her husband had said.

Anakin then continued, "If the Emperor knew your real identity, I would not have left that room alive. He knows I rescued Senator Soruna because I felt compelled to my duty as he assigned me to protect you. But if he knew who you were, it would pose an enormous risk to him, and there would be no way he could hide that from me."

"It still doesn't change what he did to you, Anakin. I cannot believe it. I … I thought you were going to die Ani." She stated sadly, tears springing to her eyes again.

Anakin wiped a flowing tear from her cheek with his gloved hand and looked into her eyes intently, "Padmé you know that I would never leave you and the twins unprotected. I promised you I would return and here I am. Besides, my love, you know I am too stubborn to die." He told her with a soft smile.

Padmé smiled back at his statement, knowing he had often said something very similar during the Clone Wars when she would worry about him during his dangerous escapades on rogue planets. "Can I see?" Padmé asked softly, and Anakin knew what she was referring to. Wordlessly, he turned around, so his bare back was facing her. As she had started to see last night, the deep lacerations had healed, leaving only several faints scars to mark where they had been. Padmé couldn't help but lift her hand up to gently caress his back, her fingers resting over where she remembered blood oozing from last night. She couldn't help but be amazed by his abilities; she always knew her husband was an incredible man, but not only had he survived the journey back, despite his injuries, but he had managed to heal himself and appear now as though nothing had happened. Her fingers came to rest next over the biggest scar her husband had, where her name was inscribed on him, as a permanent reminder of the past. But, Padmé remembered what she had told him before about changing it's meaning to a reminder of them finding one another again, and so Padmé gently leaned down and kissed the scars softly.

Anakin closed his eyes, as he felt his wife's lips touch the deep scars on his back. He had spent many years in darkness believing he deserved them, as a hideous reminder of what he had done. But his wife had changed that, she had reminded him of not what he had lost, but of what he had gained in returning to the light, and he was determined to do all that he could to earn such beautiful gifts. A few moments later, Anakin felt her warm lips leave his back and he turned to face her, his large muscular body towering over her petite form.

"I love you, Anakin." Padmé said simply as she smiled up at her husband.

Anakin took Padmé's hand, admiring how beautifully the ring he had got her fit on her slim finger, and kissed it softly. "Words cannot describe how much your love means to me Padmé, and what it has done for me. That you have accepted me for my past mistakes, and that you accepted me long ago when I was a penniless Jedi Padawan. You have given me soon to be three beautiful children, and you love me despite all the unsightly scars and cybernetics I have." He added, gesturing to his gloved hand and eye.

Padmé shook her head and replied, "Anakin, you know that those things have never meant anything to me. I did not care that you had no possessions as a Jedi. All I have ever wanted is your love, nothing more. And as for your scars, you were a war hero Anakin, you fought to liberate worlds in danger and save millions of people, they are a sign of your strength, courage and sacrifice. I have never once looked at you as anything less than the man I love unconditionally because of them." she declared passionately, taking his gloved hand and placing it on her chest. "You have always been able to look into my heart, and if you do that now, you will see that." She promised him.

Anakin kept his gloved hand on her chest, feeling her hand resting on top of his. He closed his eyes and reached into the Force, smiling as he felt her glowing presence in the Force. He could feel how bright and warm her presence was, and he could feel the power of the connection between them, as it had always been; unbreakable. Overwhelmed with love for his wife, Anakin picked her up in arms, her legs wrapping around his bare waist as he moved further out onto the balcony and sat Padmé on the ledge as he moved a hand into her hair and kissed her passionately. Padmé returned the kiss with equal ardour, knowing that after everything she experienced last night, she needed to reconcile her sorrows with his love.

Their kiss broke a few moments later, both of them breathing deeply. Anakin again took his wife's face in his hands and said, "I promise, I will love you every minute of every day for the rest of our lives, Padmé."

Padmé could only smile brightly at his statement, thanking every star in the Galaxy for getting her husband back, and looking forward to the rest of their lives together. She leaned in to kiss him again, their heads at the same height as she sat on the balcony ledge, supported by her husband's strong arms. Anakin broke the kiss surprisingly soon, and Padmé was about to ask why when he lifted her off the ledge to stand next to him and seconds later Luke and Leia ran into the room shouting, "Daddy, daddy, you're home!"

Anakin picked up his children, holding one in each arm and kissing them both softly on the head and said, "Yes, I'm home. I told you I wouldn't be long."

Luke and Leia exchanged a look of curiosity before Luke said, "Daddy, last night, me and Leia could feel you in pain. You were in a lot of pain daddy, and we were scared."

Anakin smiled at his children, not surprised by their admission, knowing how strongly connected they were in the Force. Padmé watched the exchange, wondering what her husband would say to them. She was about to interject before Anakin said, "I pushed myself very hard in my training yesterday young ones. I was a bit silly and tried to do too much. That was what you felt. But as you can see I am fine, and I am back you with you two and your mother."

"That's what mummy said to us last night when we told her that you were in pain." Leia told her father.

Anakin turned to look at his wife, who was smiling softly at her children before Anakin said, "See, I told you, princess. Your mummy is always right."

"And don't forget it." Padmé told them, as she joined her husband and children in a warm embrace. "Now, come on, time for breakfast. Me and the baby are starving." She added. Anakin put his children down, as they ran from the room, eager to arrive first for breakfast. He then took his wife's hand, leading her out of the room and down the corridor.

When the couple arrived in the kitchen, they were greeted by their children, Geeta and Obi-Wan. It was clear to both parents that Obi-Wan had also felt a disturbance in the Force as he looked at Anakin with an expression of equal confusion, and relief. The Jedi Master nodded at Anakin before saying, "Good morning, both of you. I trust your mission was successful Anakin. I am happy to see you back safely."

Anakin nodded back, as he pulled a chair out for his wife at the table and said, "I am glad to be back. I will discuss my findings with you later, Master." He told Obi-Wan subtly, certain the older man would have questions about what he had felt last night.


	38. Chapter 38 - Lessons

The family sat down and enjoyed a freshly cooked breakfast by Geeta, who too was relieved Master Skywalker return home safe, having seen how distressed Lady Padmé had been about her husband's departure and their children's revelation. Once they were all full, Padmé turned to her children and said, "I am conscious that the two of you have missed out on a lot of schoolwork with all that has been going on. You used to have tuition every day, and over the last several weeks I have neglected to make sure that continued".

"I think the reason for that is more than understandable though, my love." Anakin added, not wanting his wife to feel as though she had done anything less than an excellent job raising the children, who were both incredibly bright and astute younglings.

Padmé smiled at her husband's encouragement and added, "I know. A lot has happened recently, and I would not change it for the world. But education is incredibly important, and Luke and Leia have so much potential. I want to make sure that every opportunity is accessible to them because they have had a quality education."

"But mum, TC is really boring. He just makes us do loads of sums and writing." Luke stated, less than enthused by the prospect of dull schoolwork.

The corner of Anakin's lip curled up at his son's statement, once again seeing the similarity between his darling boy and himself at that age.

"Well TC is back on Naboo anyway, so it is I who would continue your tutoring. I know how bright you both are, and I have no doubt about your English and mathematical skill. From memory, you had just started a history module with TC, and that is something I wish to continue. What was it about?" Padmé asked her children, hoping they at least remembered some of what the droid had taught them.

"We had just started learning about the Battle of Geonosis." Leia told her mother, having always been the more passionate of the two for school.

"Well, there is certainly more than enough history to be covered from that point young ones. For that was the start of the Clone Wars." Obi-Wan told the twins.

"I've always wanted to learn about the Clone Wars." Luke chimed, making his mother smile at his enthusiasm.

"I've read some things about it already, but there is so much involved. There were so many conflicts on so many planets." Leia added, as she took a sip of her juice.

"Indeed, there was." Obi-Wan stated. "And you both have another reason to have such a vested interest in that particular time. Both of your parent's names will appear in many of the holobooks and stories you read. They were heroes during the clone wars." Obi-Wan stated proudly, looking at the couple.

"As was Obi-Wan." Padmé added. "Your father and Obi-Wan were Commanders of the Clone Army and lead thousands of clone troops into dangerous battles all across the galaxy. They helped to save the lives of millions of people and liberate planets." Padmé told her children passionately, remembering back to the time.

"And your mother was a champion of democracy. On Coruscant in the Senate, your mother was a part of many movements that sought to bring an end to the fighting and establish a fair and more just system in the Galaxy. She was one of the real heroes of the Clone Wars." Anakin stated proudly, kissing his wife's hand.

"Wow. You guys are all so cool. I cannot wait to learn all about the Clone Wars and what you did to save all those people." Luke beamed; his excitement clear.

"Well, there is no time like the present. So why don't we get started and we can leave your daddy and Obi-Wan to talk." Padmé told her children as they stood from the table and headed into one of the many living areas in the establishments.

Anakin cast a smile to his wife as she left the room, and then stood from the table, inviting Ob-Wan to take a walk with him outside. The pair walked for several moments, before Obi-Wan broke the silence and said, "I felt your pain through the Force last night. I tried to contact you through our connection." He added.

"My connection to anyone through the Force was severed for a time." Anakin stated. "I blacked out on the journey back to Alderaan, and upon my return I had to dive deep into the Force to heal myself. I lost connection with everyone and everything around me, even Padmé."

Obi-Wan nodded, as he continued to walk with his hands behind his back, "I trust then that it was Padmé who found you and aided you in your recovery?" he asked.

"Yes." Anakin replied simply. "She helped me get to our chambers. She helped to clean and dress my wounds. I was bleeding profusely. I was only semi-conscious for most of it. I knew I could use the Force to heal myself, but it took everything I had left. I succumbed to sleep, and when I awoke Padmé was by my side, kneeling on the floor. She never left my side." Anakin reflected, once again amazed by the unconditional commitment his wife had showed him, as his heart started to ache with the love, he felt for her.

"You are a lucky man, Anakin. I know you are aware of that." Obi-Wan told his former padawan. "Padmé is a very strong woman. I can imagine that seeing you like that must have been very distressing for her. From what you have described, I presume your injuries were very severe. I once again find myself amazed by Senator Amidala." Obi-Wan added truthfully.

Anakin nodded at his statement and replied, "Padmé is the most incredible woman I have ever met. She is compassionate, brave, strong, intelligent and beautiful. She put her own feelings aside to save me last night, and she did all of that whilst reassuring Luke and Leia of my safety." Anakin paused for a moment before adding, "Just like you, my children felt a disturbance in the Force, and they told Padmé that they felt that I was in pain. I can only imagine how much that must have frightened her. She did not deserve that stress, even less so now that she is pregnant again." Anakin reflected, his head bowing slightly in guilt.

"Padmé has always been very eloquent in her capacity as a politician. It does not surprise me that she was able to convince Luke and Leia that you were alright, all whilst, I imagine, she was most concerned for you. I am certain she is relieved to have you back and safe. She may not let you go again." Obi-Wan responded.

Anakin laughed a little at her statement, before a serious expression returned to his face, and he remembered the reason for needing to speak to his Master. "The reason Palpatine punished me was because of something I discovered." Anakin stated.

They stopped as they reached the end of the path that looked out on the estate's lake, and Anakin continued. "It was the Emperor who ordered the attack on Senator Soruna."

Obi-Wan turned slightly in surprise, regarding the seriousness on his friend's face. "Is it because he is aware of her true identity?" he asked.

"Padmé asked the same question, but no, I did not get that impression from his thoughts. As I told Padmé, if Palpatine knew the true identity of Senator Soruna, I would not have left that room alive." Anakin said boldly.

"You are right." Obi-Wan replied. "But it does, however, present us with a problem. More than one in fact." He added.

"We need to expediate our plan. We do not have the luxury of time. I am no longer in the Emperor's good graces. He is mistrustful of me, and is bitter about not only his failure to eliminate Senator Soruna, but the disbandment of the Senate has caused him to lose control of several key people he was watching." Anakin informed the older Jedi.

"I will contact Bail Organa and inform him of what has happened. I know he will appreciate being kept appraised of the latest developments, especially if changes to our plan are necessary." Obi-Wan acknowledged.

"When you do, tell him that I still have every intention of reviewing the Death Star schematics. They are in my possession, but I have not yet had the chance to review them. But I will make sure to honour the agreement I made, and I will try and find a weakness that the Alliance can exploit to destroy that monstrosity." Anakin said.

"What about the Emperor?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Our confrontation is nearing," Anakin stated. "I have foreseen it."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrow slightly, sensing his former apprentices' tension through the Force, as well as his posture beside him.

"I need you to promise me something Obi-Wan." Anakin said, his eyes not breaking from the stagnant water of the lake.

"What?" Obi-Wan asked, his tone not hiding his confusion.

"If something was to happen to me, I … I need you to promise me that you will protect my family, as you did in the past. No matter what, I need to know that they are safe. I need to know that my children will have someone to guide them. I need to know that Padmé … that she will be protected, always." Anakin told him, his voice no longer void of the emotion he was trying to block out.

Obi-Wan remained silent for a moment, before saying, "Anakin, nothing is going to happen to you. You are going to defeat the Emperor, just as the prophecy foretold. I am going to help you. You will be here to raise your children and protect your family." He reassured him.

"Just promise me, Obi-Wan. Please. I know I have no right to ask anything of you, after all I have done. But I don't ask you for my sake, I ask you for the sake of Luke and Leia, who have already spent half their childhood without a father. I ask you for the sake of my unborn child, who would deserve to have someone like you raise and guide them as a father would. I ask you for the sake of Padmé, who does not deserve all the darkness that I have brought into her world. She deserved a much better man than I, she deserves so much more." Anakin confessed, his voice breaking at the proclamation.

"Anakin, you will confront the Emperor and you will defeat him. You are the Chosen One. The one who will bring balance to the Force and destroy the Sith." Obi-Wan repeated, desperately trying to reassure his best friend.

"On my way back to Alderaan, when I lost consciousness, I had a Force vision." Anakin stated. "I foresaw my confrontation with the Emperor. But the vision was clouded. I did not see myself survive." He admitted.

"Your visions have always been dangerous Anakin. You know the consequences of that more than anyone. You have the power to change the fate of the Galaxy, and I wholeheartedly believe you will destroy the Emperor, and I will help you. But beyond that, you have many reasons to be the victor in the fight with the Emperor, and most of those reasons reside within your establishments right now." Obi-Wan reminded him, casting his head back towards the property behind them.

"I know, you are right, Obi-Wan." Anakin reflected, running his gloved hand through his hair, his mind still racing with thoughts and concerns.

"Let me make a suggestion." Obi-Wan said. "Go inside and spend some time with your family. There is no doubt in my mind that you are most at peace when you are with them. Once I have contacted the Alliance, we can see about commencing the analysis of the Death Star plans. But just for a little while, allow yourself some quality time with your beautiful family that you have been denied time with for too long."

Anakin smiled at the older man's statement and said, "You're right Master. I know how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family; one I don't think I will ever truly deserve. They are the greatest gifts in the Galaxy, and I want to spend every second I can with them."

"Good. Well, then it's settled. I will contact Bail and then we can develop a strategy moving forward. We are that much closer to peace. A day we have long been waiting for." Obi-Wan replied with a smile.

"I couldn't agree more Master." Anakin stated as the pair started to follow the path back up to the vast estate.

Once they entered the house, Obi-Wan departed for his quarters to contact Senator Organa, leaving Anakin alone with his thoughts. He knew that he would always have demons from the past, but he also knew how much he had to be grateful for and look forward to in the future. I have to be there for my family. I have to protect them. Anakin thought to himself as he walked through his establishments, seeking his family.

"And that was when the Military Creation Act was proposed. The Senate wanted to give emergency powers to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine which would allow the Republic to create an army to fight the Confederacy of Independent Systems. I was part of a Loyalist Committee who opposed this legislation." Anakin heard Padmé explain to their children, admiring the eloquence of her explanation, but also knowing she was being modest when it came to explaining to their children the impact that she had during the Clone Wars.

"And was it that Committee that became the Delegation of 2000 mum?" Leia asked her mother; the interest clear in her voice.

"Yes, it was." Padmé replied. "We were concerned about the Chancellor's continued usage of his emergency powers, and we feared for the democracy of the Republic. It was from this Delegation that the seeds of the Rebel Alliance were born."

"Wow, mum. You were so brave to stand up against the Emperor like that." Luke stated, looking into his mother's eyes with deep admiration.

"And mum was doing all of this while she was pregnant with us, and while dad was away fighting across the Galaxy. You are so brave mum." Leia said, standing up to hug her mother.

At this point Anakin made his presence known in the room, and moved to stand in the doorway before saying, "You are right Leia. Your mother is incredibly brave. She was the champion of democracy for the Republic, and selflessly fought for the freedom of beings all across the Galaxy, as you said whilst she was pregnant with you both and struggled with the same pressures as me of hiding our marriage and me being away. Your mother is the bravest, smartest, most courageous and beautiful woman in the Galaxy." Anakin stated passionately, smiling at his family as he locked eyes with his wife from across the room.

"And your father was a hero of the Clone Wars as well. He was so brave in fact that the HoloNet made him the poster boy of the Clone Wars. There were many that joined the fight and found hope because of your father. He was known as the Hero with No Fear." Padmé told her children, trying not to be reminded of the irony of such a title.

"I want to be just like you one day mum." Leia announced proudly.

"Yeah! And I want to be just like you dad. A brave and skilled pilot and Jedi!" Luke added enthusiastically.

Padmé smiled at her children's flattering comments and stood up and said, "You are both incredible children; so bright and compassionate and loyal. I have no doubt that you will both do so much good for this Galaxy one day. But do not be in a rush to grow up, because it will be here before you know it. Live in the moment and enjoy the liberties that come with being a child." She said to her children, kissing them both on the forehead.

"Okay mum." They both replied in unison.

"I think that's enough schoolwork for today. Why don't you both go and find a holomovie to watch in the living room before dinner?" Padmé asked with a smile. Upon hearing her words, the twins departed the room swiftly, already debating who got to choose the movie they watched.

Anakin remained standing in the doorway for a moment, simply admiring his wife, reminded of the words Obi-Wan had spoken, knowing how lucky he was to have such a wonderful family.

"How was your talk with Obi-Wan?" Padmé asked her husband as she cleared away the twin's books and pens.

"Fine. He asked what happened to me on Coruscant, as he too felt my pain through the Force. But I told him that I healed, and it was all thanks to you." Anakin told his wife, looking into her eyes lovingly.

Padmé smiled at his comment and stated, "I think perhaps it had a lot more to do with your ability to heal through the Force. I think I was more there as a shirt remover and cleaner."

Anakin took her hand and said, "No Padmé, believe me, you did so much more than that. I may have been the one to physically heal my injuries, but it was your presence that I craved, your signature that I called upon to heal myself." He smiled before adding, "But you can be my shirt remover whenever you please," as he winked at his wife playfully.

Padmé laughed softly and patted her husband's chest playfully. "I'm just so glad you are alright. I still don't think I've properly processed what happened. It was all such a blur. I just knew I had to do all I could to help you."

"And you did my love." Anakin told his wife as he kissed her hand softly. Despite the torrid of conflicting emotions Anakin was feeling, there was emotion stronger than them all, one thing that Anakin was certain of, and that was how much he loved Padmé, and more than anything he wanted her to know how much he loved her. Wordlessly, Anakin took both his wife's hands in his and knelt on the floor in front of her. Padmé looked at her husband in confusion, her forehead creasing slightly.

"Padmé, it wasn't very long ago when I got down on my knees begging for your forgiveness for what I did to you on Mustafar. I will never be able to properly explain to you how much having you in my life again has saved me and what a gift your forgiveness is. But right now, Padmé, I am on my knees because just like all those years ago I want to marry you; again. I want us to renew our vows because I want everyone to know about the commitment, we have made to one another, one we made long ago but had to keep a secret. I want you to be able to wear your ring with pride and I don't want to ever have to hide the love I have for you from anyone. I want everyone to know that you are Padmé Naberrie Amidala Skywalker." Anakin professed softly.

Padmé felt her eyes well up with tears, touched by her husband's words. She looked at the beautiful ring on her finger, that was glistening in the natural light, shining in through the window. She then looked into her husband's crystal blue eyes, feeling the love she felt for him consume her.

"Of course, Anakin. I think that's a beautiful idea. We can be married again, and this time my family and all our friends can be there. Our children will be there. Oh, Anakin, it will be wonderful, just as we dreamed." Padmé said softly, her voice breaking with happy emotion.

Anakin could not contain his happiness and stood from his position on the floor and whisked Padmé around in his arms, her giggling excitedly as he did so. Just for the one moment, Anakin didn't feel touched by the darkness. He felt completely at peace, and for that one beautiful moment, he forgot about all his troubles and the immense internal conflict he was fighting in the Force.

"I love you, Anakin Skywalker." Padmé said softly as her husband put her down so she was facing him again.

"And I love you, Padmé Amidala Skywalker. Forever and always." Anakin replied, kissing her ring and then her lips softly.

As the couple walked to join their family for dinner, Anakin informed his wife about his discussion with Obi-Wan and his contact with the Alliance, knowing she would want to be kept apprised of what was happening. When they entered the dining room, they found Obi-Wan there alone, who greeted them with a smile.

"I trust you got in touch with Bail?" Padmé asked the Jedi.

"I did. He sends his regards. I passed on what Anakin told me and mentioned Anakin's continued intention to analyse the Death Star schematics. He is in the process of rallying more support, so that when the time comes, we will be ready." Obi-Wan reported.

"Good. I will get started on the schematics forthwith. I don't know how long it will take me to go through them all. I have seen the plans in segments, as I oversaw several aspects of its development as Vader. But this time I am looking for a weakness that we can exploit. I just hope I am able to find something the Alliance can use, because they are relying on it so heavily." Anakin replied.

Padmé touched Anakin's shoulder softly and said, "I don't want you to put too much pressure on yourself though Anakin." The concern in her voice was clear. Padmé knew her husband was still battling with several aspects of his transformation from Darth Vader back to Anakin Skywalker. But Anakin was insistent on aiding the Alliance in every way he could to help make amends for his past, Padmé just hoped that the stress of it would not overwhelm him, because he was struggling enough.

"I know, Padmé. I won't, don't worry. But this is important, and I am the only person who can carry out such a task. I cannot diminish its importance for the sake of avoiding stress. I need to do this. I need to help to make up for all the damage that I have caused. I need to help destroy the Death Star because it poses a threat to you and our children. I have responsibilities, that right now I cannot ignore." Anakin told his wife, trying to convey some of the thoughts racing through his mind.

Padmé was about to speak, when she was stopped from doing so by the entrance of her children with Geeta. Dinner was a sumptuous affair, Geeta once again exceeding expectations with her cooking, which everyone was grateful for. Once everyone had had their fill, Anakin and Padmé took the twins up to bed, and bid good night to Geeta and Obi-Wan.

"Will you tell us more about fighting in the Clone Wars some time dad?" Luke asked his father as he tucked him in to bed.

"Of course, son. Obi-Wan and I had many daring and crazy adventures all across the Galaxy." Anakin replied, enjoying his son's enthusiasm. "But for now, my boy, time for bed." He added, kissing Luke on the forehead. "Goodnight."

Anakin closed the door of his son's bedroom, having already said goodnight to his daughter. He sighed heavily as he walked slowly up towards the bed chambers he shared with his wife. His whole body ached, as he rolled his shoulders back and forth, trying to relieve some of the tension he felt, but he found very little relief. He knew that he had neglected to rest sufficiently following the injuries he sustained. But his mind felt as though it was racing at past light speed all the time, that he had been sleeping very little, and his days were spent balancing his responsibilities as Vader, a father, a husband, a friend and a Rebel. The weight of his responsibilities and the constant conflict he felt between the light and dark was starting to wear him down, and he did not know how to alleviate them. He could not neglect any of his responsibilities; not until his family were safe and the Galaxy was free of the Emperor and the Empire. But he did know how much longer he would be able to continue to carry such heavy burdens, before he finally gave in. He ran a hand through his hair frustratedly, as he cursed his own thoughts, realising that no matter how tough things were, he could not give up. He had too much to lose.

Anakin was broken from his thoughts by the voice of his wife saying, "Is Luke in bed?"

Anakin nodded and replied, "Yes. He is most anxious to hear more about my antics during the Clone Wars. You are an excellent teacher to enthuse the boy so much on the topic."

"Well, it is not hard when he looks up to his father so much. He is so much like you sometimes it frightens me." Padmé added, as she sat at the vanity table undoing her braid and taking out her earrings.

"Yes. I have noticed that." Anakin replied, as he undressed and prepared for bed, craving the comfort of the soft silk sheets and his wife's smooth warm skin.

"Are you alright Ani?" Padmé asked as she got into bed next to her husband, clearly noticing the tiredness in his eyes and voice.

"I'm alright Angel. I'm just tired. My injuries and healing just really took it out of me, and I think I was a bit ambitious with my recovery time." He admitted, knowing it was futile to lie to her.

Padmé kissed him softly on the lips, as he wrapped his arms around her gently. "Well, we can both get a good night's sleep tonight, knowing we are right here next to one another." She told him softly. "I love you." She added, kissing his bare chest as she closed her eyes.

"I love you too, Angel." Anakin whispered as he watched her for a moment, caressing her cheek softly, never tiring of her angelic beauty as the warm moonlight cast a gentle glow on her face.


	39. Chapter 39 - Breakdown

AUTHORS NOTE: _I hope you are all still enjoying this story. These last few chapters have been tough to write. I had the ideas in my head but I found it a challenge to get them into the story in a way I was happy with. But I think I've got there now. Please continue to review. Thanks - BetaBear_

Unlike his wife, Anakin found his sleep was troubled, as he tossed and turned in their large bed. As he felt his body succumb to sleep, his nightmares began. He was ascending the stairs of the Jedi Temple, his boots hitting the ground in sync with the hundreds of clone troopers who marched in formation behind him. He could sense the fear of those inside, as they were helpless to resist the callous persecution of all who resided within. In his mind he saw the terrified expressions of the younglings, as he entered each room and cut them down mercilessly. As he departed the final room in the temple, he caught a glimpse of his reflection and saw his burning Sith yellow eyes that were glistening with tears. As he departed the place, he had called home, he could still hear the screams of all those he had killed. But he could no longer feel guilt over their deaths. The Jedi were trying to take over, and Darth Vader could not let that happen. He had to keep killing.

At that moment, Anakin lurched forward, his eyes opening wide as he brought a hand to his chest, trying to ease his thumping heart. He was bathed in sweat and could feel the anger and guilt building inside of him. How could he have done such unforgivable things? How could he have been so stupid to believe the words of Palpatine? It had cost him everything. Needing some space, and not wanting to wake his wife, Anakin left their bedchambers, and headed towards the gym and meditation chamber in his establishments.

Trying to find some relief, Anakin walked over to the battle post, suspended from the ceiling, and punched it several times, his strength propelling the post forward with each swing. He was frustrated that the physical exertion did nothing to comfort his rapidly building anger, as he continued to strike the post harder and harder. Realising his physical exploits were getting him nowhere, Anakin remained still and close his eyes, and tried to call on the light side of the Force, knowing he had neglected it for a long time in his servitude to the dark side.

He was immediately overwhelmed by the strong pull of the dark side, as painful memories of his past as Vader, again started to flash through his mind. Anakin released a loud groan as he tried to force the images out of his mind, knowing that for many years they had served to torment and twist him further down a dark path. An image of the Emperor suddenly flashed within his mind, laughing wickedly and goading him about how easy he had been to manipulate and how he was always going to be a slave to him and the dark side.

At this thought, Anakin felt his anger explode within him as he screamed, "You took everything from me! I hate you!" Fuelled by his anger, Anakin began to see his Sith Master stood in front of him, and he could not resist the strong urge he felt to cut him down and destroy him. Immediately, Anakin ignited the red blade in his hand as he saw a figure approach him, his eyes burning Sith yellow.

Across the establishments, Obi-Wan had felt his former apprentice's distress through the Force. He instantly exited his living quarters and followed Anakin's force signature, which he was disturbed to acknowledge felt very dark. As he entered the room, Obi-Wan found Anakin in great despair and confusion, holding his red blade in his gloved hand, clearly overcome with anger and hatred and torn between both sides of the Force.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan said to him simply, seeing his eyes and feeling the overwhelming torrid of emotions emanating from him.

"Get out, Obi-Wan!" Anakin warned as he felt his anger surge, as the sound of Sidious' cackling filled his mind.

"You must fight it Anakin. Fight the pull of the dark side." Obi-Wan told him as he took several cautious steps towards Anakin.

Anakin tried desperately to reach into the Force, wanting to stop the images and voices he was drowning in. But he was only greeted with more darkness, and he felt himself being pulled away, deeper into the darkness. "I can't." Anakin said weakly.

"You must, Anakin." Obi-Wan insisted. "I cannot lose you again. Padmé cannot lose you again. Your children cannot lose you again." he added, knowing what a powerful influence his family had on him.

At his words, Anakin felt a strong wave from the dark side wash over him. _You have already lost them. You killed them on Mustafar, or have you forgotten about how you choked your pregnant wife to death._ The wicked voice told him as the memory of Mustafar was pushed to the front of his mind. Unable to take the pain of the image, Anakin dropped to his knees and shouted, "Stop. Make it stop!" he pleaded desperately.

Having awoken to find her husband absent from their bed, Padmé put a robe over her nightgown and ventured out into the hallway. Her first instinct had been to check the office but was disappointed not to find Anakin there. Padmé furrowed her brow as she walked slowly down towards the gymnasium, where she knew Anakin and Obi-Wan spent many hours training. _But surely not at this hour_, Padmé thought to herself as she heard shouting coming from the room at the end of the hallway. Recognising the voice as her husbands, Padmé hastened her pace and ran towards the gymnasium. The sight that greeted her made her heart sink as she rushed through the doorway.

Upon hearing her, Obi-Wan turned around to face her and said, "Stay away, Padmé."

Anakin too had sensed the presence of his wife, but he was too engrossed in his mental torment to differentiate between what was real and what was a creation of the Force. Padmé was shocked to see the glowing yellow eyes of her husband staring at her as he stood from the hard ground. "I killed you on Mustafar, Padmé. I choked you in anger because I believed you had betrayed me. I killed you and our children, and I have been tormented by that knowledge for more than eight years, and I will never forgive myself." Anakin professed.

_Do you remember how much you feared losing her my servant? You were willing to give up everything and do anything you could to save your wife from certain death. Tell me, how did it feel to lose her anyway?_ Memories of Palpatine's torturous words flashed in his mind, as the pain Anakin felt only continued to intensify.

Obi-Wan could immediately feel the dark presence rising within Anakin. He took a step back, standing in front of Padmé and said, "Anakin. The dark side is trying to twist your mind. It is using your guilt and anger for the past against you. You must fight it."

Padmé could not hide the fear in her eyes, as she remained transfixed on her husband, her body frozen in place and tears coming to her eyes. "Padmé, Anakin is almost in a Force trance right now. The Dark Side is fighting to consume him. I do not know what he is capable of. You need to leave." Obi-Wan instructed her, turning his head so his eyes met hers, but also so he didn't take his attention completely off Anakin.

Padmé felt her heart break at her friend's words, as she continued to look at her husband. As he stood in front of her now, she was very much reminded of the way he looked on Mustafar. "Anakin." Padmé stated, her voice breaking as his name left her lips.

Anakin remained focused on his wife. Despite his heart fighting to convince him she was real, his mind screamed otherwise. The dark side whirled around in his mind, and he couldn't help but believe that the image of his wife before him, was being conjured by the Dark Side. Anakin swirled his crimson blade in his gloved hand effortlessly and shouted, "Why do you continue to torture me with your presence? Is that my punishment? My penance for what I did to you. That I have to see you all the time in my mind, knowing I killed you."

Obi-Wan could see the look in his eyes, and too was disturbed by the pain his former apprentice was going through. He glanced back at Padmé, seeing she had ignored his instruction to leave, but he knew that after losing him once, she would not just walk away from him now. "Anakin look inside yourself. Search your feelings. You know Padmé is alive. You did not kill her on Mustafar. The Dark Side is trying to manipulate you. It's using your guilt for what happened to convince you that you are alone. But you are not alone!"

Anakin heard his words but found he could not listen. His mind and body were overwhelmed, and he knew he was close to giving in to the temptation. "Ahhh!" Anakin screamed painfully, as he felt all his tension and anger being released through the Force. All around the room, glass shattered, and pieces of exercise equipment crashed to the floor. Huge clouds of dust engulfed the room, as the damage Anakin had caused became true. Obi-Wan ran to Padmé and tried to cover them both with his cloak, with limited success. He had not anticipated the scale of the damage that Anakin had been able to create with his mind, and they had both been pushed to the ground.

After several moments, Obi-Wan pushed himself up from the ground, relieved to see that less a few tiny cuts to her face and being covered in dust, Padmé was unharmed. He reached out and helped her up, as they both returned their gaze to the dark figure who remained standing strong in the centre of the room. Obi-Wan was unsure what to do. He knew he could not give up. He admitted that he had perhaps been overly optimistic and had neglected to acknowledge the impact that such a huge transition in the Force had had on Anakin. He knew that his former apprentice had been fighting some demons, but he had promised him that he would not fight them alone, and he was determined to keep that promise.

Anakin's blood-red blade remained ignited in his gloved hand, it's potential to end his suffering drawing him closer towards it. It was painfully clear to Padmé and Obi-Wan the danger that Anakin was in right now. He was not just in danger from the Sith, but from himself.

Padmé could no longer stand idle and watch the events that were unfolding. She could see before her very eyes her husband being consumed by the dark side, as her eyes remained fixed on the bright blade that remained inches from her husband's chest, it's threat to kill, steadfast. After all she had been through, after Mustafar and believing she had lost her husband, she refused to let it happen again. She had promised Anakin that he would never be alone again, and she was determined to keep that promise. Wordlessly, Padmé ran towards her husband, before Obi-Wan was able to stop her.

"Padmé, no." Obi-Wan shouted, fearing that Padmé was placing herself in danger. Obi-Wan knew how much Anakin loved Padmé, but right now he was not himself, and he knew it would break Anakin irrevocably if he was to hurt her now.

When Padmé reached her husband, she couldn't help the tears as they streamed down her face, upon seeing his yellow-tinted, pain-filled eyes. Instinctively, Padmé reached for Anakin's gloved hand and retracted his lightsaber, fearing he would hurt himself. Only then, once they were left in relative darkness did Padmé start to focus her thoughts, knowing she had to save her husband. She stepped even closer to him, so that her petite body was mere inches from his.

"You don't understand the pain I am in Padmé." Anakin choked out. "The fear and pain I felt knowing I was going to lose you. Words cannot describe the pain I have suffered the last eight years believing you died at my hand. I can't take it any longer." He professed desperately.

Padmé was broken by her husband's words. She knew that he had suffered from prophetic dreams and since the death of his mother, he had been obsessed with the desire to prevent his dream from becoming real, no matter the cost. But a part of Padmé was also angry with her husband. Whilst he had suffered more than anyone ever should in a lifetime, he had not been alone in his suffering. She too had suffered a lot at the hands of the Empire, Palpatine and even Anakin.

Padmé felt a sudden wave of desperate anger wash over her as she said, "I do understand your pain, Anakin. That day on Mustafar was the worst day of my life. It was not only the day I lost you to the dark side, but the day you turned on me. On that day, I thought that you had died with the belief that I had betrayed you, and that broke my heart. I was faced with living the rest of my life as a single mother, without the man I committed my life to, the man I loved unconditionally. I was faced with having to tell my children why they never got to meet their father. Anakin, I understand your pain more than you realise." Padmé admitted, not taking her watering eyes off her husband.

Anakin remained silent as he listened to his wife's words, and his head moved towards the ground in shame. He had no response to her painful declaration, as he realised just how much Padmé had lost because of his fear; because of the forbidden attachment he made to her.

"Padmé … I … I am so sorry, I just … I … I don't deserve you. I never did. Please. Forgive me. I love you so much. All I ever wanted was … was to keep you safe." Anakin admitted brokenly, struggling to string his words together.

She reached up slowly and took his face in her hands, her eyes never leaving his. "Anakin look at me. I am right here. I am not a ghost or a memory, I am alive, I am with you. Your children are with you, Obi-Wan is with you. You are not alone. You need to let go. You need to know that I forgive you. You need to abandon the dark side. I love you, Ani. Please come back." She pleaded; her face wet with tears, as she saw tears roll down her husband's cheeks.

Both were silent for a moment, but Padmé did not break her pleading gaze with her husband. Anakin continued to look at his wife, and he slowly raised his hands, so they rested on top of hers on his face. "Feel, Anakin." Padmé said softly. "Feel, I am real. I am alive." She whispered.

After a few seconds Anakin dropped his gaze from hers but moved his human hand to caress her cheek. "Padmé." Was all he said, clearly still disorientated from all that had happened.

Remembering Obi-Wan's words, Padmé said, "Anakin, you must push away the dark side. It is trying to convince you that I am dead, that you are alone. But you can feel I am here. You can feel the warmth of my cheek, the beat of my heart." She told him as she moved his hand to her chest, where her still rapid heartbeat could be felt.

Anakin closed his eyes, and simply focused on the beating heart of his wife. Within seconds he felt the pull of the dark side weaken, as he used his wife as a beacon of light, guiding him back. When he opened his eyes again, Padmé was greeted by bright blue eyes, the eyes of Anakin Skywalker, the man she loved.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Padmé cried, "Oh, Anakin. I thought I was going to lose you to the dark side again." Anakin wrapped his arms around his wife, unsure what else to do to comfort her, as he too was truly disturbed by what had happened and how close he had felt to falling back down into the darkness; forever.

Anakin studied his wife's features for a moment, seeing the clear signs of devastation and relief on her face. He moved his gloved hand to the several small cuts painted on her face, and then his eyes roamed around the dimly lit room. He suddenly realised, that in his Force trance he had caused all of this damage, and that it was also him who had injured his wife; again.

"Padmé, your face. I did all of this." Anakin said sadly, gesturing to the room around them. "You should have left. I could have seriously hurt you, and the baby." He added. "I would have never forgiven myself if …"

He was prevented from finishing his sentence, when his wife placed her finger on his lips softly and interjected, "I could never have left you Anakin. I will never leave you ever again. I cannot lose you again, Ani." Padmé told him.

Obi-Wan had allowed the couple a brief moment before he stepped towards them and said, "What you just did Anakin, is once again what no man has done before. You came face to the face with the dark side. It did everything it could to tempt you back, and you resisted. The dark side is a vicious and desperate world, and it used your greatest fears and biggest regrets against you. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been for you. You truly have returned to the light. You truly are the Chosen One." He said, a small smile appearing on his face, as he looked upon Anakin with pride.

"I cannot describe what just happened to me. All I know is that I was shown memories from the past. I did things I will regret for the rest of my life. The dark side showed me things, things that make me hate myself and the Emperor. It twisted my belief of the present and tried to convince me of an alternative truth; that Padmé and my children were dead and had died at my hand." Anakin tried to explain, his mind still on fire from the torrent of abuse it had experienced.

"There was a time when I believed that it was my steadfast connection to the Force and devotion to the Jedi Order that kept me from being tempted to the dark side," Obi-Wan began, "And in some ways I still believe that to be true. But I can see that for you Anakin, your devotion to your family has saved you from the determined claws of the dark side. The love you have for Padmé is stronger than the power of the dark side, and that is a feeling that I don't think anyone will truly understand, it is unlike any other." Obi-Wan stated, looking at the couple who remained in one another's arms.

"I once told you that I would have given up anything in the Galaxy to be with Padmé, and I meant it. I was willing to sell my soul to the devil to save her from what I believed was a certain death. But now, I have had to fight selling my soul to the devil in order to still be with her. It is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life, but I would do it a million times over, if it meant being with her." Anakin professed, kissing his wife's forehead, as an intense feeling of love and protectiveness for Padmé washed over him.

"Your love and devotion to one another is truly remarkable. You really are the Chosen One of the Chosen One, Padmé, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of the title." Obi-Wan said with a soft smile.

Padmé had simply listened to both their words, herself overwhelmed with love and gratitude for pulling her husband back from the depths of darkness. "Thank you, Obi-Wan, for everything." Padmé told the Jedi Master, leaning forward and kissing his cheek softly.

Obi-Wan blushed a little at her gesture, but quickly regained his composure before saying, "I think we are all in need of some sleep. Tomorrow, I shall meditate on all that has happened, and see if the Force can provide me with any insight. But, Anakin, you should know, I am very proud of the man and the Jedi you have become. So, if you are both alright, I shall bid you both a goodnight, and may the Force be with you, both."

"May the Force be with you too, Master." Anakin stated, "And words cannot express my gratitude. I am in your debt." He added, before the Jedi Master turned and left the room, heading back towards his quarters.

Once Anakin and Padmé were left alone in the room, Anakin turned to his wife and leaned down to kiss her lips softly before saying, "Go back to sleep, my love. You need your sleep. I'm going to start cleaning up all of this mess. I don't want the twins to see this." He admitted, realising the scale of the destruction his mind had created.

Padmé shook her head softly and took her husbands hand and said, "Not tonight Ani. You need your sleep as well. I know how tired you are, and you haven't been sleeping well. I am not leaving here until you are coming with me."

Anakin smiled at his wife, not wanting to admit how exhausted he was, and how the trauma his mind and body had recently experienced had drained him. He brought Padmé's hand up to his mouth and kissed it softly and conceded, "Alright. I will get started on this first thing in the morning then."

Padmé smiled in response, happy that her husband had not put up a fight, seeing the tiredness in his eyes. The couple walked back to their bedchambers slowly, as Anakin continued to try and process what had happened to him moments ago. Parts of it were a blur, and he mostly just remembered the vividness of the torturous images and the voice of Sidious tormenting him. He shook his head slightly, wanting to forget about it, and knowing it was important that he focus on Padmé, because as always, she was the beacon of light in his life. He needed her.

"I just want to get some fresh air for a moment." Anakin told his wife, still feeling his body emanating furious heat, and wanting a chance to cool down.

Padmé nodded and released his hand, as he walked out to the balcony looking out from their bedroom. Anakin was relieved that his wife had gone back to bed, hating how much seeing him that way must have upset her. He knew that for his sake, she likely wouldn't confess that to him, but he felt guilt for it all the same. As he stood outside, he felt the cold night air start to cool his body, and he closed his eyes again, seeking peace and tranquillity. After several moments, Anakin felt slender hands encircle his waist. He did not open his eyes, but simply basked in her glowing, warm and comforting presence. She kissed his bare back softly and whispered, "We don't need to talk Ani. Just know that I'm here. I'm right here." Padmé wasn't sure if her husband wanted to talk about what had happened, and if she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure she did either. Seeing her husband nearly falling to the darkness again had been heart wrenching. She had seen his bright yellow eyes and believed she was going to lose him again, and there was nothing more that she feared in the Galaxy. But she had brought him back, and a part of her was proud that she had been the one to do so, that Anakin's love for her was strong enough to defeat the darkness. Right now, her husband didn't need her words, he just needed her presence, and that was exactly what Padmé would do.

Anakin continued to meditate, absorbing the soothing presence of his wife, who didn't break her embrace, but simply maintained her gentle, but reassuring hold. He found it incredible the power she had to change him. After a brief period of meditation with her by his side, he felt the darkness almost completely disappear. He did not feel consumed or even tempted by its presence. He felt at peace. Anakin opened his eyes and turned around to face his wife. Despite the coolness of the air, Padmé had stayed warm, enveloped in the heat of her husband's bare torso. Anakin kissed Padmé's head softly and stated, "Come inside. I don't want you to get cold."

Padmé remained still for a second and challenged, "Are you coming inside?" she asked.

"Yes." Anakin replied with a small smile, as he walked back inside with his wife, who got into bed and wrapped the covers around herself, wanting to remain warm.

Anakin didn't take long to join his wife in bed, as he too slipped under the covers and sought out his wife's body, wrapping his arms around her gently but protectively. He kissed her bare shoulder lovingly and said, "You saved me, Angel."

Padmé squeezed his human hand as it wrapped around her and whispered, "And I always will, Ani."

Anakin was silent for a moment and then said, "Promise me one thing, Padmé."

Curiously, Padmé turned around to face her husband, just being able to see the outline of his chiselled jaw highlighted by the moonlight. "What, my love?" she asked.

"Promise me you will always let me protect you and our children. It is all I have ever wanted to do." Anakin stated passionately, feeling now more than ever a burning need to forever protect his family from the Emperor and any harm that could threat them.

"I promise Ani. I know you will always be there for me and our children." She guided both their hands to her still flat abdomen before adding, "I love you Anakin Skywalker."

"I love you too Angel. More than I will ever be able to describe." He replied, as he closed his eyes and felt himself succumb to a peaceful slumber.


End file.
